56. Don't buy 2 sibling hamsters

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Hi doctor sing,

I'm the owner of the hamster who developed the tumour (armpit) who just pass away today. I just want to say thank Q to u. At least now my hamster passed away without the tumour.

Actually i thought of collecting her home today, but after i receive a call saying she had passed away i really feel so sad. I think if i bring her earlier to surgery she might survive. I really feel bad. Any way i just get a new hamster today. : ) take care doctor sing.


Best regards
Name of owner : )

As I was off on Saturday, May 8, 2010, I went to Marine Sands Singapore to visit the place for the first time and to visit the owner of the hamster. I was going to tell her not to buy sibling hamsters but her colleague told me she had bought two hamsters so that they have company.

The hamster's sibling had recurrence of chest tumour of a similar appearance and died on the operating table on the 3rd anaesthesia and surgery some 2 months ago.

This hamster was not eating and was in weak condition when the young lady owner brought her in to get the tumour excised. I told her firmly that the risks were very high as she had waited too long, weakening the hamster's immune system.

The hamster was warded for 2 days prior to operation so that she could regain her appetite. She did not eat. She was given hand feeding, antibiotics and electrolytes for one day. I needed to operate since time was of the essence and she was getting weaker (closed eyelids, lethargic, few pellets of stools passed).

I used isoflurane gas for a few seconds and she did survive the anaesthesia and operation. She was alive at the end of the surgery but I told Vet Intern Theresa that the chances of survival post-operation are very slim.

I asked the owner to take her back for nursing after surgery. But she asked me to care for it a few days. Her hamster passed away peacefully the next day.

She was a very high risk surgical case. She would die soon if she was not operated as she had problems drinking and eating. However, surgery would give her a chance to live longer. In this case, the post-surgical outcome was not good. Surgery gave her a chance. No surgery meant imminent death. So there was no choice but to operate with the owner's awareness of the great risk. She understood the risk but was glad that the hamster passed away without a large armpit tumour.