Hamsters and other pets are a part of our lives and it is difficult to let them go. They are just like kids, and being with them becomes a part of our family. We take care of every need of them, give them a good shelter and give them all the love.
Can a hamster be euthanized? Yes, your pet hamster can be euthanized, if your hamster is ill, injured, has organ failure or cancer, severe illness, or old. It is recommended to consult your Vet for the final decision.
There are times when your Hamster does not feel much well. We try to figure it out, give them proper rest and treatment, but still, you find no chance of improvement. When you cannot find a way and your Hamster’s health is deteriorating day by day, then the only way left is to euthanize your Hamster.
What is Euthanasia?
Euthanasia is synonymous with the term Mercy Killing. It is a process carried on dying pets or animals that become disabled, paralyzed, or limped. Vets perform the procedure.
Euthanasia is done by injecting a drug inside the pet’s body, which will stop the heartbeat at once. In this way, death will be quick and painless. Your Hamster would be safe from suffering any longer.
Can a hamster be euthanized?
A lot of our frequent members have asked us about the process of euthanasia. We always discourage the killing of animals, but if there is no way or chance for betterment, then it is the best decision to go. A hamster can have euthanasia when it has severe issues going on, and there is very little hope of survival.
Let us consider some of the cases where euthanasia can apply:
Your Hamster has gone old
Hamsters have a brief life span. Their life expectancy can be around two to three years. In their prime, hamsters love to wander here and there and play with their heart.
But as soon as hamsters start to age, you might seem that they are becoming sluggish and lazy. It would not play much and prefers sleep over-exercise. Old age will also cause other issues like organ failure, cold, abnormal behavior, etc. You should know the age of your pet hamster.
It is the time where you consult your trusted veterinary doctor. If the condition can be treated with the help of medicines, then it would be best. But if even after medications, you see your poor Hamster avoiding interactions and suffering, then you might consider euthanizing him.
It will be your choice whether if you want your Hamster to suffer and die a natural death or if you want his suffering to end and let him rest in peace.
Your Hamster has a severe illness
Your Hamster might get sick. Sickness in hamsters are much complex and different as compared to other animals. They tend to hide their disease from everyone and reveal it at once. So it is most likely to happen that your Hamster is playful one day and is exceptionally ill the other day.
The fast metabolism in the hamsters further propagates the illness, and your Hamster’s life might be in grave danger even before the diagnosis. The solution to this is to treat it at once. The vet knows best I the illness can be treated, or the procedure can be fatal.
In most scenarios, the vet recommends to ease their pain and euthanize the victim.
Your Hamster is poorly injured
Hamsters are extremely fragile animals. Unlike other pets like cats and dogs, a simple jump can even prove to be fatal for the little rodent. If your Hamster has fallen from a height, then it is most likely that he would have injuries. These injuries can also break bones.
Injuries can have proper treatment if they are minor, and you don’t need to euthanize the pet, but in many cases, there is no such hope for hamsters to survive. So the only way to have mercy on your little pet is to have it euthanized. Otherwise, your pet will die out of severe pain, and it is not a sight you would like to see.
Your Hamster has neurological disorders
Hamsters can have mental disorders, as well. The most common symptoms can make your hamster flip backward continuously. Other complications can make your Hamster give up food, human interaction, and even mating.
There is not much that your vet can do if the disorder has gone to an extreme level. It will only worsen the Hamster’s condition day by day. In such cases, vets advise that the patient must follow euthanasia.
Respiratory issues
Hamsters can have difficulty in breathing. It can happen due to multiple reasons. If there is a predator in the house and it is terrorizing your Hamster consistently, then due to extreme fear, your Hamster might go into depression, and it would develop respiratory disorder.
Organ failure/cancer
Just like humans or any other pet. Hamsters can have cancer too. The tumor can spread much faster due to the efficient metabolism inside the Hamster’s body. The ailment can lead to painful death eventually.
Another scenario is the failure of organs inside a hamster. The liver or intestines etc. can face failure due to particular reasons. The latter can undergo treatment, but there is no efficient way. In these scenarios, euthanasia is recommended because the pain is too much to handle for your little pet.
Things to Consider before going for euthanasia
Euthanasia is never comfortable, and a pet owner can suffer a great deal of stress deciding whether to euthanize his baby pet or not. Well, let us give you a few things to think about, and if your Hamster is doing well, then maybe you do not need to euthanize it.
Is your Hamster responding to you?
Let us start with simple things. Is your Hamster responding to you when you want to play with it? If yes, then you do not need to worry about euthanizing it.
If a hamster does not respond to you or look playful at all, then it is a warning sign that there might be something wrong with your pet. In this case, you know what you have to do.
Is your Hamster eating regularly?
Is your hamster eating and drinking like regular times? If yes, then the Hamster there is quite fine. Hamsters are most likely to give up food or drink when they are not right. It will starve them up, and they might die due to a lack of food and energy.
So if your Hamster has given up food, consult your vet. Sometimes medications can boost their appetite, but it does not happen often. The only and best thing left to do is to let your Hamster pass away painlessly by euthanasia.
Is your Hamster walking or playing?
One major thing that you need to see is if your Hamster can walk or play. Hamsters are playful animals, and you would typically see a hamster spinning its wheel, playing hide n seek, and munching on some seeds if your Hamster walks and plays like regular times then there is no need to panic.
But if your Hammy is not walking, then it might be in grave danger, which can lead to death full of pain. Let the vet decide what procedure is best for your Hamster. There aren’t any high hopes for a hamster that is limped, paralyzed, or broken, so they get peace by euthanasia.
Step-by-step guide for performing euthanasia on hamsters
First of all, the most important thing is to remember that you are not a pet expert. The veterinary doctor is the one who would do the tasks related to Hamster’s health. You do not need to euthanize the pet yourself, as it can be painful for it.
Sometimes the owners isolate them or throw them away to die, which is barbaric. If you cannot afford to euthanize your pet, then call the emergency animal helpline as they can aid you in this matter. Do not euthanize your Hamster at home. Do not try any home tricks in euthanizing your pet.
Spend time and say bye
The first step to do is to bid the final goodbye to the pet. Allow your children to spend time with the pet, and if they cannot bear the idea of euthanasia, then simply tell them that the pet is going for vacations or meeting his parents. It’s your responsibility to handle if there are kids attached to the pet.
You can also take pictures with your pet to cherish these unforgettable memories. Leave your kids home and take the pet out.
Meet the Vet
Your veterinary doctor already knows the procedure. Hire someone who is an expert in euthanizing small animals. The process takes no time. Sign all the formalities and give it to the doctor. It is your call if you want to stay in the room till the last breath or if you do not want to see that.
Be done with it
The doctors simply inject a formula into the Hamster’s heart. The injection makes the heart beating stop at once, and within no time, your Hamster passes away peacefully.
Now it is hard for you to let go off this incident quickly, but it is for the best. Rather than being depressed, cherish all the moments you spent with your deceased pet and try to calm yourself down.
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