HAMSTER EMERGENCY - He is gone!

[momma's chickens]

My 9 year old dd has a hamster that our stupid dog got out of the cage, broke the darn thing, and his hind legs are just dragging behind him. I think they are broken. We live in a very rural area, there is no vet. Any advice???

 

[KellyHM]

Pinch the back toes really hard (with a hemostat if you have one). If he turns around and tries to bite you then he can feel them. If he doesn't then he's paralyzed. It sounds like he may have broken his back, in which case you'll need to put him out of his misery.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

It sounds as though the dog broke it's back. You'll need to put it out of it's misery. I'm sorry.

 

[momma's chickens]

I will go try to do that, I just can't belive this. Her other hamster died at the age of 4, just found him dead one day. This is breaking my heart!

 

[momma's chickens]

I don't know if he can feel them or not. I did that and he bit me but it was more of a bite of leave me alone. He is still pretty feisty. I think I will leave him until morning; is that cruel? He can reach his feed and water.

How do put a hamster out of his misery in most humane way possible?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

If it were I, we would take the method we use with the rabbits and just knock it real hard in the back of the head with a hammer handle. It wouldn't take much force, think a mouse trap.

I would humanely dispatch it tonight, but I can understand wanting to wait. Maybe by some freak chance, it will be okay in the morning or would have passed in the night on it's own, relieving you of the aweful duty yourself.

 

[Imp]

Sorry,
I don't know anything about hamsters, but had a similiar thing happen to a kitten a few years ago. I rushed her to the vet and there was no good answer. Her hind feet started getting cold and she started crying. The vet said her hind legs were dying and it was going to be very painful.
So keep a watch on your hamster, hope it pulls through. Good luck

Imp

 

[buck-wild-chick]

Thats terrible,sounds like his back is broke.If it was left up to me to euthanize him I would use a 22.Or for a hamster a BB gun.
Sorry your having to go through this.

 

[momma's chickens]

Butterball died quietly in his sleep next to my daughter about 10 mintues ago. She doesn't know it yet as she is sleping. I put him a box and we will buy him tomorrow.

 

[Imp]

So sorry.

Imp