Probably best just to let her go in her sleep?

Taking it to be put down would probably finish her off (and it's highly unlikely she's in any pain now)

Thanks. It's my 13 year-old daughter's hamster really but I've grown to love her too as she was so tame and fun to play with.

Yeah that's what 2 vets at the PDSA have said but some posters here are making me feel guilty that I've not taken her to be put down. Maybe they're right, dunno.

Note: the charity's advice is going to be honest because they are running a non profit organisation.

And I apologise that I keep referring her as a him. It's just me not reading properly!

When I was a teenager, my neighbour's hamster suddenly started sleeping a lot & she was advised that he was dying, & it would happen within a couple of days. It hung on for almost a week, & it was horrible for her son. He'd be checking on it almost every hour except when he was at school, with the hamster sleeping deeper & deeper. He was only about 6 or 7 at the time, & the little mite would sometimes try to wake it up. His mum had no way of getting to a vet or the money to pay for one, so once she saw how much it was disturbing her son, she gently asked him to say goodbye to the hamster one morning as she thought it might go that day, then got another neighbour round while she & her son were out to put it to sleep (she didn't ask how, but thought it would be with a cloth over its nose & mouth). She felt it was cruel to let it linger for so long, & it wasn't fair to her son either. It's the memory of that creature dying so slowly that has put me off ever having one. I don't think I could take having to deal with a lingering death after only a couple of years of life, even though they've had their natural lifespan.

The OP will have to do what's right for the hamster she's got. Personally, I think that a vet dispatching it to hamster heaven asap is the better way, but their own circumstances may not allow for that to happen.

OP I lost my hamster this week and am still grieving for the poor little angel. She had a few days of suffering too, but we did actually take her to a vet who tried to save her, at a cost of £70. Two days later she passed away. In hindsight I wished the vet had just given her the injection, because holding her in my hands while she took her last breath was utterly awful and traumatic.

It's a hard decision to make, I appreciate that. In a way I'm glad that my girl passed away at home, but on the other hand I feel we were prolonging her agony.

I'm sending you a hug, whatever you decide.

Had quite a few small pets over the years, Hamsters & Gerbils.

Once they stop eating/drinking, they don't tend to last very long at all, maybe a day or 2. As for whether the death is peaceful or not, it depends in how bad of a way they're in.

One of my last Hamsters was finished off due to an epileptic fit (he'd always suffered them), which must have caused a stroke. He couldn't walk properly, always falling over and lost his appetite. Within 2 days of this happening, he was found dead, comfortably in his bed.

I know someone who drowned their rat because it was dying of old age.

This makes me so angry! Why do people want to tamper with nature? Dying of old age must be more peaceful then being placed in a bucket of water or being suffocated!!!

So she's just dying slowly...

Either have the guts to put her out of her misery or take her to the vets to be pts. At the moment, she is dying in pain.

That depends on whether they're also suffering from medical conditions that are causing them pain. When my dog was 13, he started to lose his sight & hearing. Even though he started to eat less, he still put on weight because he wasn't able to run about as much - he lost the confidence to run in the park, & went from a dog who'd almost spin himself into the ground with excitement because he was going out for a walk to a dog who'd just lie in the dining room. He also got painful arthritis & heart problems. He started to be in a lot of pain, & my Dad decided to go with the vet's advice to have him put to sleep. If he'd just been old, he would have let him die at home, but he was in a lot of pain as he was finding it very hard to tolerate his medication, & he didn't think it was fair on him.

That's absolute rubbish!!

Please do NOT put her out of her misery!! I have never heard of anything so cruel in my life!

OP, I would take the PDSA's advice. She'll be perfectly peaceful having a nice little sleep and she'll pass peacefully too. Don't disturb her. She'll be traumatised by the bright lights and the jolting around.

Sorry for getting a little angry but I can't even believe someone would suggest that! If you can't afford to have an animal put down (of any other reason than old age) then you should not have a pet.

That is my point - the animal should go to the vets.

Sorry if it's making you feel guilty I'm just trying to help you do the best for your hamster. I run a popular hamster website and many of the members and hamster breeders on there would suggest taking the hamster to the vet to be put down. I know it's sad to have to do it and I feel terrible when I've had to do it too but I know it's best for the hamster and I know it's not had to suffer over a few days.

Medical conditions are completely different and I would agree to have an animal put down in that situation. I just can't believe people choose to take it in their own hands sometimes. I find it very upsetting. I would do it in the worst worst scenario (IE someone in front of me ran over a rabbit, I might run over it again (thank goodness this has never happened to me)) but never from old age.

To be fair, sometimes people's circumstances change after they've got the pet - they may move home, or lose their job (something they might not have been able to foresee) or may have had another child. In a case where an animal has suddenly become ill & they haven't had time to plan for how to deal with it, the family finances do have to be taken into account, & sometimes what's best for the animal has to wait a bit until the finances will allow. Just because they might not be able to afford to have the animal put to sleep doesn't make them bad/irresponsible pet owners - not every area has a charitable pet service, & not everyone has a car to get themselves there with the pet (you can walk with a gerbil or a cat in a box/crate, but you might have difficulty with a larger animal).

I do completely take your point there. If my circumstances changed I would never be able to give my cats up! I love them way too much.

She might already be gone or very near on her way out. I think they just shut down, but still breath for a little bit until they're finally gone, either way, she'll be in no pain now.

Putting your pet to sleep is one of the kindest things you can do. Pity us humans aren't afforded the same rights.

I've seen hamsters at the end of their days and feel for you CrazyChris... hope the poor little hammy is at peace soon

YES...they ARE right!

Why leave this poor animal suffering more than it should do already?

Why not listen to your own instincts? surely that cannot be so difficult?

Anyone who owns an animal will know of the right thing to do if it is suffering.

Asking the OBVIOUS question on DS has now prolonged the agony of this poor animal when it could have been put to sleep peacefully and out of the sheer agony that it is suffering.

Why not simply take it to a vet in the first place and do the right thing from the start instead of 'pussy-footing' around?

2 vets cannot be wrong and it's not rocket science to know if an animal is suffering or not.

Just do the right thing please instead of putting th animal through agony!

The 2 vets told me NOT to take it though, and let her die peacefully here at home. You seem to have misunderstood as they didn't say to take her when I rang Thursday and again Friday. She's still hanging on this morning.

Chris

I am thinking of you.

It is heart-wrenching to see a little one dying.

With my little baby this week, it got to the point where I wished she would hurry up and pass. I couldn't stand seeing her in such obvious distress.

I hope your little one's suffering will soon be over. xxx

I'm disabled and not working so that's why we go to the PDSA and just give a £5 donation. The woman said they're closed all weekend and to let her die in peace here. If she's still alive Monday morning I'll take her.