Vibes needed for my rescue hamster.

This is not an easy post for me to write. And, I'm going to try to keep this as short and to the point as possible. Some of you may remember reading a thread I started last week (or maybe it was the week before?) about my taking in some rescue hamsters and gerbils that came from a terrible hoarding situation. The original thread is here: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=210011. Anyway, I can't provide too much info on the situation itself, but suffice it to say that I brought home (to foster) one severely neglected gerbil with only a fighting chance at life, two hamsters in stable condition despite being completely fearful of humans and malnourished/dehydrated, and a baby hamster that I couldn't leave behind. The latter of which I adopted outright. I'm happy to report that the gerbil is doing some better and the other hamsters are holding their own, but it's the little guy that has me asking for vibes this evening...

My little red-eyed cream and white banded hamster, who has yet to have been named , has come down with a dreadful case of wet tail. In fact, in all my time working with the small critters, I've never seen a case come on this quickly or severely. He was absolutely fine this morning, at noon, at 3:00pm, and even at 5:00pm. But, when I just checked on him about an hour ago, I was horrified to see that he had terrible diarrhea and was dehydrated despite having finished his freshly filled 3 ounce water bottle. Since bringing all of the hamsters home, I have been giving them oatmeal in their food along with Bene-bac gel at the advice of the humane society's vet (and my own). They also provided me with Vibramycin should something like this occur and so I was able to quickly give him a dose orally as soon as I recognized his symptoms. I cleaned his cage and put him on paper towels as well as wiped his bottom and put in all new dishes and cage accessories. But, as soon as I wiped his bottom, he had another bowel movement that was even more wet and pungent than the one(s) before. It's just liquid and he is losing fluid faster than I can syringe it to him (I pushed just about 2cc's when I first noticed him being ill and another 2cc's before I came back downstairs). I spoke with the vet, but she said that I'm already doing everything possible for the baby. But, I still feel helpless.

As of now, he is still up and moving around, but is very hunched over and shaky. He's beginning to become more lethargic and he feels warm to the touch. I've moved him to my bedroom for the night and will set my alarm for 2 hour intervals so that I can syringe him more fluids and keep a watchful eye on him. Unfortunately, there isn't an ER vet in the area who sees small animals, but my vet is on speed dial and will assist me in any way she can throughout the night if necessary. If he worsens and my vet feels there is no hope for recovery, we will discuss euthanasia, but, at this point, she feels with treatment (Vibramycin (0.05cc) 2x daily, oatmeal, and syringed fluids along with proper disinfecting and care) that he still has a chance to pull through. However, it's looking bleak and I think we all know this.

The little guy's next antibiotic dose isn't due until morning and we have a rough night ahead of us, so, please, any vibes would be appreciated -- even if they are just to offer him a quick and peaceful passing. I'm hoping he is strong enough to pull through, but his age and past history concerns me. I'm praying, though.

So many people see small animals as expendable, but they're not. No matter what happens, at least the fosters and my adopted baby have known love and care in there time with me.

(Oh, and as an aside, the gerbil seems to be in much better condition this week and his outlook is now a lot brighter than it ever was before .)

Thank you for the vibes...they are much appreciated...

He has a fresh 3 ounce bottle of water and is being syringed fluids, from this point on, every two hours. After my initial post, I did go back and give him an additional 2 cc's of fluid (this makes 6cc's in about an hour plus). He is being given Pedialyte via the syringe, but his water bottle is water only. And, as of now, he is still drinking from his water bottle as well as eating his food. But, he does appear weak and shaky -- he is also losing fluid rapidly through the diarrhea he is having. I suspect a fever as well, but I have no reliable way to test that at this time. He's hanging in, but with the wet tail coming on so quickly and severely, he really has to fight to get through this.

May I ask why you suggest stopping the oatmeal? The humane society had them all on an oatmeal "supplement" and suggested I continue with that for 10-14 days. And, when speaking with my vet earlier, she, too, suggested continuing with the oatmeal as it will help bind his stool. He does have access to his other food as well -- a high quality pet block as well as a high quality seed food (as they all need to gain weight). However, if there is reasoning behind stopping the oatmeal I am interested in reading about it as I'd like to discuss it with my vet. We follow a similar treatment modality with hamsters at work (different meds though) and if this is not what is best than I'd like to reconsider the treatment and move on to something that would be more beneficial to the treating wet tail.

As far as the Bene-bac gel, he has been receiving it (along with the other hamsters and the gerbil) since being taken in by the humane society. However, I upped the dose at the recommendation of my vet this evening. I, too, hope the added dosage helps, but I'm trying not to get too ahead of myself here. I'm very upset by the whole situation and am trying to stay in the moment and not jump to conclusions about the possible outcomes -- whether they be good or bad.

Again, thank you for the vibes. Tonight's going to be rough, but I still have hope...

Carolina, I really appreciate your well thought out response. I'm having a rough time with the little guy and just knowing there is someone else out there pulling for him gives me the strength to keep doing everything that I can for him.

After reading what you've shared and speaking with my vet, this is where we're at with the situation (pardon my brief post as it's almost 3:00am and I'm beyond exhausted at this point):

- I've pulled his water bottle and replaced the contents with Pedialyte.
- As he is still drinking on his own, I will continue with syringing him fluids every two hours through the night. However, I am going to up the amount to 3cc's. (I just gave him another 2 cc's prior to this post.)
- Per my vet, I am going to keep the oatmeal in his one treat dish. He is not eating much of it as he prefers his regular food, but a small amount is there should he want it.

Prior to my original post, he was moved from the spare bedroom where he and the other hamsters (and gerbil) were to my bedroom. It's cold here this evening and so I already upped the temp in the house, but I have also placed an additional hidey-house in his cage as well as some extra nesting material. He also has a hay/straw pre-fab hut in his cage that is enclosed on all sides but one that he is sleeping in now. I put some extra nesting material in the hut after giving him his last bout of syringed fluids.

Unfortunately for my cats and dogs, they are not allowed in my bedroom this evening (except for my one dog who will sleep through the night under the blankets with me) and will be sleeping in my roommate's bedroom instead. My bedroom will be quiet through the night and should be one of the most stress-free places in the house. It is also one of the warmest rooms this evening.

The other hamsters and gerbil were all in the same room with one another, but were all housed separately. I have added another water bottle with Pedialyte in each of their cages...just in case. The little guy will be going to the vet first thing in the morning and we'll decide then whether or not to provide any other preventative treatment to the others. The fact that the other hamsters are not showing signs of illness is not enough for me right now since his symptoms came on so quickly. The gerbil is not on my radar for wet tail, but with any infection going around and his weakened state, I have cause for concern. If necessary, I'm prepared to take them all to the vet tomorrow.

As far as medications go, he is not getting anything other than the Pedialyte, Vibramycin, Bene-bac, and oatmeal (along with his food). As of now, he's not getting anything else to combat the diarrhea (this will come up tomorrow morning with the vet, but, for now, she feels this is adequate).

So far, he's hanging in. As am I. However, I do need to lay down and try to get some sleep before waking up again to check on the little guy and syringe him his fluids. He's set again for more in about 2 hours so we'll see how he is then. I have an appointment with the vet for 9:00am and will try to update after that, but it's unlikely I'll be back online tonight unless things get real bad or I lose him (I'm praying hard this won't be the case).

Thank you again...so much. I'm heading to bed, but will update when I can. Hopefully, since I caught this quickly (as fast as possibly given the rapid onset of symptoms) he has a fighting chance. Usually, if you can get past the 24-48 hour mark you're home free, but that's a way off and his prior living situation makes this illness all the more dangerous. That being said, the more prayers and vibes the better.

for my little hammie boy.

I wish I was able to come back and report good news on my little hamster boy, but, unfortunately, while he held his own last evening into this morning, he has quickly regressed and it is looking grim .

I brought the little guy, now named Sampson (which means strong man) to the vet at 9:00am. She immediately gave him some sub-Q fluids as well as an anti-diarrheal medication (something in the family of bismuth liquid). Since he had not yet been given his antibiotic this morning, she gave him Trimeth as it is stronger and a better medication for treating wet tail. Due to his severe diarrhea and the fact that he has become lethargic and is losing body heat , he was left with the vet. She is going to continue on with sub-Q fluids as well as antibiotics and anti-diarrheal meds, but if he is not improving by mid-afternoon, we will most likely have no choice but to put him down...

I'm really having a tough time with this. In his short life, up until he was taken in by animal control and the humane society, he knew nothing but starvation, dehydration, and fear. I vowed when I adopted him that he would now know love and care...but he is now struggling with the same ailments he suffered through before. It breaks my heart. I know the cause is different and that he is being given the best care possible, but it is still so heartbreaking. I want to believe that he'll pull through, but, realistically, the vet feels he won't make it. I don't want to get my hopes up to have them crushed, but I also don't want to give up. But, for now, there's nothing more I can do but wait. He is with the vet and if he is meant to pull through, he will. And, if not, I know there will be many friends waiting for him over at the rainbow bridge.

Here's to hoping that my strong man, Sampson, fights the good fight. He knows he can go at any time and that I'll be okay. In my mind, he has already lived up to his, newly minted, "strong" name. For today, I pray that he is at peace and in no pain -- God will take care of the rest.

I'll update when I know more...

I apologize for just getting back to this now, but today's been a difficult day and I fell asleep earlier this evening and only woke up a little while ago. And, after calling the vet to check on little Sampson and trying to eat something, I'm only returning to give an update now.

Little Sampson is still fighting the good fight. After a day of sub-Q fluids, stronger antibiotics, and anti-diarrheal medications, he improved slightly. He is no longer as lethargic or weak and is maintaining a normal body temperature, but he is not out of the woods yet -- not by a long shot. He is able to move around and is showing interest in his surroundings, but the vet cannot seem to get his diarrhea under control and he has had some bloody stool throughout the day. The fact that he is still having so much diarrhea, mucous, and the addition of blood to his stool lessen his chance of survival, but since he has improved some, we decided against putting him down. If he still wants to fight, then we will be there fighting with him and for him.

I'm going to try to stop at the vet's office to visit the little guy tomorrow morning before work, but since the weather's not been good this week, I may have to wait until after I am done with work for the day. I'll be leaving my cell phone on through the night tonight and will have access to it tomorrow at work -- if he declines, my vet and I have already discussed euthanasia and I'm mentally prepared to go there if necessary. I'm hoping and praying that he can pull through this, but, statistically, I need to prepare for the worst. But, nonetheless, I'm grateful that I adopted him and gave him a life of love and care...even if it turns out it was only for a matter of days. I'm proud of my boy for fighting so hard and he is an inspiration to me and none of the potential outcomes will change that for me.

If he continues to hold his own through the night, don't expect to hear from me until sometime tomorrow afternoon. I'll try to post an update as soon as I know more, but with work tomorrow it may be difficult. I'm just so grateful that there are so many people praying and offering vibes for my little Sampson. I know he and I both appreciate it beyond words...

Sampson .

Jacky, I'm so sorry for your sister's losses . Whether we're talking about a hamster, a rat, a dog, or a cat, these animals are part of our family and losing them is heartbreaking. Kudos to your sister for doing all she could for her babies -- you're right, not many people would. I'm thankful each day that I am in contact with people through this website who care so much for their pets both big and small. It's an honor to be in such good company.

I'm not going to get into specific numbers when discussing costs here, but having Sampson be treated at the vet both today and overnight (as of now, at the very least) is not an inexpensive endeavor. And, with him, I don't have the cushion of pet insurance to help soften the blow. But, for better or for worse, I took Sampson in and made the decision to adopt him. And, any time that I bring a new animal into my life, heart, and home, I do so with the knowledge that I am responsible for doing all that I can to ensure their health, happiness, and security. Many people would simply write off a hamster -- after all, they cost just dollars at pet stores -- but, I'm not one of those individuals. A hamster, to me, is just as important as one of my cats or dogs. And, thus, Sampson is being treated as such.

The humane society offered to assist in helping me cover some of Sampson's vet care, but I told them to put the money they offered me into the fund for the other small animals rescued from the hoarding situation in which my fosters and Sampson came from. I'm by no means affluent, but I made a decision to adopt him as opposed to fostering him and I'm willing to do all that I can do to ensure he gets the care he both needs and deserves. I'm grateful that they offered, but many other animals are in danger and need that financial assistance. Thankfully, I have a wonderful vet who is working with me financially and, for now, the cost in treating Sampson is not standing in the way of his getting proper care.

You know, my roommate doesn't understand and is upset I'm spending so much of my money on "a hamster." And, her disapproval is okay with me. What I'm doing for Sampson is not even close to what he has already done for me. Not everyone understands this concept, but it appears that those reading and responding to this thread do. Jacky, your sister is an angel and I applaud her for doing what she could for her ratties. Again, my heartfelt sympathy goes to her during this difficult time...

I'm so sorry for not coming back to this thread earlier, but the last two days have been incredibly busy for me -- between work, my pets, and my little Sampson being at the vet...I'm just grateful that I have tomorrow off along with some time to catch my breath. But, please know that you've all been in my thoughts and knowing that my dear hammie had so many prayers and vibes being sent his way has brought me peace during this difficult time.

But, enough about me. I know you all want to know how Sampson is doing. And, while I'm surprised beyond belief (and very, very grateful!) I am here to post that Sampson is still with us . In fact, not only has he beaten so many odds, he is back home with me .

Sampson survived Thursday night at the vet and yesterday came and went with his gaining strength. It was still touch and go, but the fact that his diarrhea lessened was really what helped us realize that he may, in fact, be able to turn the corner. Yesterday he continued to receive antibiotics, anti-diarrheal medication, sub-Q fluids, and Bene-bac. He also received an injection of a stronger antibiotic (whose name I cannot seem to remember at the moment) and was given some pain medication to help ease his discomfort. I did visit him early yesterday morning and again after work in the afternoon -- the difference between morning and night was astonishing and my vet and I decided that if he continued to improve overnight that I could bring him home after work today. And, despite what appeared to be a grim situation, little Sampson did, in fact, come home with me this afternoon .

Sampson is not out of the woods, but his condition appears to be improving and I now have a lot more hope than I did just mere days ago. He was off his food all through Wednesday and Thursday and is still not eating as much as he should be, but he has started to nibble and the big news of the day was when I saw him drink from his water bottle (at this point, we are back to giving him plain water in his bottle). He is still quiet and sleeping quite a bit, but he did do a little climbing in his cage and even explored a bit. I wouldn't go as far as to say that he has his strength back, but he certainly doesn't seem to be as hunched or wobbly as he was in the past. I literally cried as I watched him drink, munch, and hobble around this afternoon -- I was just so happy. Or was it relief? Either way, he is a miracle in my eyes and I hope he continues to progress and move forward as he deserves all that life has to offer.

Now that he is at home, he is off of all of his original medications. He may be put back on another antibiotic in the coming days, but there was some strong concern that he was being over-medicated at the vet's office and we are trying to ensure that he doesn't become ill from too much antibiotic. Due to the nature of his illness and his earlier prognosis, we went all out with meds and some of those medications can cause liver and renal damage as well as GI upset (these are normal side-effects and in this situation the potential benefit far outweighed the risk). But, being that he is drinking and eating some, we are less concerned that he was negatively impacted. And, with no diarrhea, it seems like the GI upset is not going to be too problematic. His last dose of antibiotic was yesterday at around 4:00pm, so if we were to see some negative or lasting side-effects, we'd have started to experience them already. And, while he's not going to be considered free and clear for a number of days yet, things are definitely looking up.

Right now, I'm thrilled beyond words. And, I'm so grateful! But, I'm also afraid that he's suddenly going to go downhill and that I'll lose him yet. In fact, writing this post was hard as I'm terrified that I'll jinx myself (or, rather, Sampson). I can't lose him -- especially after being given so much hope. But, it's in God's hand and I know He hasn't brought me and Sampson this far to just let us fall...

Please, continued prayers and vibes would be appreciated for me and my Sammy hammie. I know TCS has been so wonderful to me and I cannot express my gratitude in words. I'll just have to believe that you all already know...