HELP!!! i think my hamster is dehydrating

[nibbles07]

ok so today myself and Emma tried to clean chives butt, and noticed she didnt seem as able as usual (not placing her feet as well and not being as confident as usual) we then noticed her skin isnt going bk as quickly as usual. We tried to give her some water from her bottle but she wouldn't take it and i tried to get her to take some from a lil lid. Now as its late at night we couldnt go out and get a syringe, but we will do 2morra. Is there any other methods other than this though? As i found this hard to do with my old hamster. thanks! We are going to try our best but we reckon she is on her last leg anyway.... :(

[pinkpink33]

im so sorry! i cant think of much if you dont have a syringe or pipette. i keep those in the house at all times in case of emergency like this.
you could try getting a cup of water, dipping your little finger in and putting this carefully into her mouth. if she cant drink from a bottle or a lid she's probably too weak to use her tongue properly. i had to hand-water a degu like this when she had teeth growing in her throat and couldnt use her tongue. you can use any small instrument for this, maybe the end of a pen etc, but make sure to give her big enough gaps between each drop so she has a chance to swallow.
is there no way you can see an emergency vet? if she's not taking any water she probably wont survive very long, i dont know how long a ham can live without it.
some baby food or mushed up banana etc might help too, if she'll take it. trying to be creative here.
hope it helps, and i really hope she pulls through.

[janie36]

I'm sure there must be an emergency vet line you can call!
When one of our Degus was sick I called one in Cornwall and they were soooo helpful, at the time there was no vet living here so it was invaluable advice.
Try and get her through the night, then get her to a vet first thing tomorrow!
Could you use a small tube with some gauze or something over the end, to at least try and get some fluid into her! Hamsters can dehydrate really quickly, especially if they have been suffering from poo problems!
Hope this helps!

[nibbles07]

ok so i searched it up online, and one site suggested cucumber so we have given her some of that and she ate it all, even licked the water out of the last bit... we shall buy a syringe 2morra. Its not my hamster sorry its my g/fs. I think if it does come to the worst we will just let her go peacefully b/c she is over 2 and a half and she is healthy (wee's and poos) just the last day she's been less like herself thanks for ur help :)

[pinkpink33]

she ate the cucumber but she wont take water??? weird.well i hope she makes it through the night :) oh, dont forget that while veg hydrates her, too much will cause diareoha and will make it worse!
good luck little chives!

[pixibubbles]

i keep syrinages in the house now just in case but in the past have used straws as an emergency measure. put the straw in glass of water and thumb overtop... it's messy and inaccurate but works... as to getting ham to take syringe i find hammie sitting upright on back in hand and syringe in corner of mouth works best but mine were always pretty tame. you can sort of pin them to your leg a little bit and wriggle syringe in... girls tend to hate it and fight... boys seem to tolerate it.

i've mised water with organic fruit juice: usually the type designed for babies. When my Teddy had an ulcer a few years back he stopped drinking (nothing stopped the piggy eating tho lol) but he went potty for a syringe of apple juice and water (vet said it was ok). I'd check the water pot... some hammies just dont get th eidea of getting water from anywhere else (even just moving the pot)

Also i'd try and get some bio lapis or pedialyte solution as it will reblance the electolytes and improve re-hydration. i;d also get to vet ASAP.

As to the survival without water? i;ve been told its 3-4 days for fully grown healthy syrian, but that was a vets best guess (teddy again lol)

Let us know how chives is doing x

[nibbles07]

So i went and bought a syringe today but chive just wasnt having it i did try for a while but she jus wouldnt take it i think i manage to get like a drop in if that. So i've phoned the vet up and she has an appointment 2morra at 1.40pm so we are just going to have to keep our eyes on her b/c theres not much else we can do b/c its stressing her out alot!

[pinkpink33]

awww well i hope she gets to the vet in time, and they can give you something or help in some way. good luck :)

[janie36]

Let us know how she gets on at the vet!
Fingers crossed that she gets well super fast:)

[nibbles07]

so we took chive to the vets today... the vet reckons shes jus real old.. and to just keep giving her the cucumbers and injecting them with some baytril as she could feel something not quite right in her tummy (not a tumor) so she aint got long really but least shes not suffering shes jus old shes sleeping now :) gonna wake her 2nite to give her some cucumber! ty guys for your help

[pixibubbles]

ummm. you dont have to inject baytril..., it can be given orally. just a thought x

[nibbles07]

its injected into the cucumber not into chive! :P

[biffyclyro89]

ok so today myself and Emma tried to clean chives butt, and noticed she didnt seem as able as usual (not placing her feet as well and not being as confident as usual) we then noticed her skin isnt going bk as quickly as usual. We tried to give her some water from her bottle but she wouldn't take it and i tried to get her to take some from a lil lid. Now as its late at night we couldnt go out and get a syringe, but we will do 2morra. Is there any other methods other than this though? As i found this hard to do with my old hamster. thanks! We are going to try our best but we reckon she is on her last leg anyway.... :(


when my hammy had wet tail i gave him some cucumber to eat and that seemed to work. I also went to the vets who gave him an injection of water and salts and also some of the same stuff to put in a water bottle

[jackie158]

Hi,

Something you could do, which I did with my hammy when he was sick is, syringe pedalyte, non flavored. This will rehydrate your hammy. It is also given to children when they have upset tummies to rehydrate them.

Baytril is hammy safe. HOWEVER, MAKE SURE, you are giving a PROBIOTIC! Becuase Baytril, will deplete natural good bacteria and could cause a superinfection. This happens in humans too. For example, sometimes women get a yeast infection when they go on an antibiotic. DO NOT USE YOGURT as the probiotic. Use acidolphlis. What you do is brak open the capsule and sprinkle it over your hammsy food and cucomber. Cucumber is great, it has allot of water in it, but it wont replace the electrolytes like pedialyte will will an animal is dehydrated. Good Luck! Hang in there! Its no fun having a sick animal.

[nibbles07]

hey thanks :) i think chive is doing alright though shes not too dehydrated its more the fact shes so old that she cant drink from her bottle the cucumbers are working a treat... i think she only has a few more weeks left but thats simply b/c of her old age she is after all 2 n a half! lol :) bless her but ty for your help

[jackie158]

hey thanks :) i think chive is doing alright though shes not too dehydrated its more the fact shes so old that she cant drink from her bottle the cucumbers are working a treat... i think she only has a few more weeks left but thats simply b/c of her old age she is after all 2 n a half! lol :) bless her but ty for your help

Ok! Thats great! Just so you know in case anything happens. Little veggies pieces are ok, just make sure, you give just a little!

[pixibubbles]

why cant she drink from the bottle? are her teeth / gums ok? is it maybe worth getting a gerbil or mouse bottle (narrower tubes) or even putting a wet cloth of some sort in a dish and in the cage? maybe its the bottle that is the issue? (well it's a nice thought)

[nibbles07]

yea i know jackie ty :)!

pixi.. her teeth r alright the vets gave her a full check over... ive tried givin her water from a syringe and a bowl so i think its jus the fact shes to old.... shes enjoyin her cucumbers though lol

[nibbles07]

jus incase you guys wondered what ol' chivvels looks like lol heres a few pics!

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t319/snoopyfan2k6/IMG_2362.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t319/snoopyfan2k6/IMG_2361.jpg
first pic is chive on my best friends hand lol hence why u can see half his face! hope you liked!

[pixibubbles]

she's lovely x

[jackie158]

Awww...I love her coloring.....How is she doing today?

[CookieDough24]

Yeah, I have to agree with jackie, what a cute hammie! I hope she is doing better!

Keep us updated! :)

[nibbles07]

she is doing pretty well :) emma put a extra ladder in her cage today so she can go up her levels easier which she is happy about!! she was eating some of her food a moment ago she seems pretty happy! :)

[CookieDough24]

Wow, that's great! It sounds like she'll pull through. Good for you! :)