Mr Maggie's Diary

[Magpie]

I don’t think he even pouches in the injured one. will need to wait and see when he’s back up again.

I don’t think I could solely hand feed him as he’s up so late most of the time- I’ve been staying up because I’m so paranoid about monitoring his wound, but only until he’s up and then I give him a couple of treats and go to bed around 2am. I’ve got a busy job with fairly big responsibilities plus kids so I just can’t stay up any later than I am already (and I’m not getting enough sleep as it is since we got him!). I hope that doesn’t sound callous. I am just spinning lots of plates right now.

He is also not at ease in the playpen. He’s only been out in the Playpen for 3 very short visits because of all the health issues and so he’s not used to it and I feel he finds it a bit scary.

I had hoped by day 5 post-op it would have begun to stabilise and knit back together.

Might be jumping the gun. Let’s hope so.

 

[Maz]

I don't think hand feeding would help anyway! Fingers crossed it's healing ok.

 

[Magpie]

It’s definitely happening again.

 

[Maz]

Oh no. Is there a different vet you can see maybe?

 

[Magpie]

Not anywhere near me, no.

Nearest potential alternative would be at least a 2 hr drive away (assuming there’s one in my nearest town!).

 

[Maz]

I think it needs an exotic vet if that is at all possible, but it sounds like it isn't.

 

[Magpie]

Not easily anyway. I’ve messaged someone I know who lives in my nearest town (2hrs away) who I know keeps various exotics (not hamsters) to see if she can recommend a vet there.

Would mean a long day of travel and not sure if I would be able to get the time off work but will have to figure that all out tomorrow.

Just Gutted.

 

[Maz]

I came across some information on prolapsed cheek pouches that suggested feeding soft food until it had healed (eg baby food). That might be an idea once it's repaired again. You would think a vet would have suggested that. So sorry you're going through this.

 

[Maz]

This little hamster had pouch removal (although the prolapse looks worse)

Hamster brought into Derby RSPCA now thriving after 'risky' surgery

The tiny rodent is recovering after an operation to fix his prolapsed cheek pouch.

www.bbc.co.uk

Another owner on another site had to have the pouch removed after it kept re-prolapsing after stitching .......... it is starting to look like that is what is needed. And it maybe does need a different vet as the current vet didn't seem confident about that. I would think if the vet is at a distance, they would keep him in at least overnight.

 

[Magpie]

I had wondered about the soft food but it was sort of an afterthought and just from things I’d seen via google!

I will need to see what they say today. I’ve barely slept for thinking about it.

It’s a bit strange in that it’s prolapsing through the cheek rather than his mouth I think? (But I may be wrong)

If it comes to it- are you able to suggest what soft food should I be giving and how much etc?

 

[Maz]

I'm no expert on that unfortunately, it would maybe be something to discuss with the vet. If it was just baby food they could lack nutrients if it's for a week say, softened pellets might be ok if it's a tiny amount. Tino still pouches those! But he only has 3 pellets.

 

[Magpie]

I’ll certainly ask but I’m not sure he will truly know. Maggie is booked in for surgery to try to remove the pouch on Wednesday morning. So just need to keep everything crossed it goes ok and he survives another anaesthetic.

Only other alternative would have been a referral to specialist which would be a 4 1/2 hr drive each way and I’m afraid that’s just not a feasible option at this point.

How much water do you add to your science selective to soften them?

He doesn’t pouch anything in his damaged side and certainly won’t be able to once removed (assuming all goes ok) but can certainly try and feed him soft food if that’s best after surgery, as long as I know what/how much to give him.

 

[Maz]

Hope the little boy does ok Fingers crossed.

Science selective - I just put a few pellets (Tino only gets 3 but 4 or 5 maybe?) on a dish - eg a jar lid and drop a bit of kettle water on it - as small an amount as you can drop from a kettle. That is usually a bit too much but I leave them to soak for 5 mins or so and then tip any excess liquid off.

 

[Magpie]

Thanks Maz.

For Wednesday- i am to drop him off between 9-9.30 at the vet. Was thinking- If he’s still up in the morning around 7.30 do you think it would be better to pop him in the carrier then than dig through his bed and wreck his tunnels (again!) later on?

Its just a tiny pet carrier (like just bigger than an egg box type size)

 

[Maz]

Yes it probably would be better.

 

[Magpie]

Thank you. Hopefully he’ll still be out and about and I can avoid another burrow upset. there seems a little more protruding this evening from this afternoon so feel like Wednesday can’t come soon enough for him.

Took the opportunity to get the last (or as close as possible) of the wood shavings out from the bedding when I had to find him this afternoon. There was still about 1/6 of the cage that I hadn’t gutted- in and around the peep shed (which he only stands on top of and doesn’t go in/through). So that’s all just paper now. There are a few flakes of shavings still mixed in here and there where he’s tunnelled through though and mixed it but without emptying the lot it’s the best I can get it for now.

When I sifted through what I removed I found there were a few sharp bits of wood (shavings) I now wonder if that could have scratched him when he was burrowing and caused all of this in the first place?! Really really wish I never put them in on the bottom of the enclosure. Will never know for sure I guess but I definitely feel like it’s a possible root cause and I’m taking the blame for that one. Hopefully no more remain hidden in amongst the paper.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I hope it all works out well and Maggie is soon home and enjoying himself again ❤

 

[Yorkie]

Good luck with everything,poor little man.

 

[Magpie]

What a day! I'm very pleased to Say Mr Maggie came through another surgery safely.

Unfortunately they couldn't remove the whole pouch in it's entirety so a little remains. They had hoped to push the pouch back in through the exit wound and then out through his mouth in order to remove it, but there were adhesions which made this impossible and his breathing was beginning to be affected under anaesthesia so they did what they could while trying to ensure he was stable and survived.

He is home again and snugly back in his burrow. (I didn't see him as I left him curled up snug in his open carrier in the tank while I went to boil the kettle and when I came back in he had made his way out)

I can only hope that enough of the pouch has been removed for the surgery to be successful and for what remains not prolapse again. If it does then I think we will have to call it quits as I cant keep putting him through this. But I am going to try and remain hopeful and positive and cross that bridge if we come to it.

I have taken out his wheel for now- I needed to adapt the platform it is on to stop the wheel from sliding, so have decided to take this opportunity to do that and hope that a few days without the wheel does him no harm, and perhaps encourages rest and recovery.

I have a lotus root ready to use which I thought could put in for him while he has no wheel. I thought I could sprinkle some flower forage and some of the small smooth/softer bits of his mix- like the little bits of puffed millet/dried veggies/mealworms into the holes of the lotus root to try and keep him occupied? does that sound like an ok idea?

I Asked the vet if I should keep him on soft foods just now and they have said yes... soft food only for 2 weeks! That sounds a little long to me? Does this sound right?!

I don't have a hospital tank so he will have seed mix stashed away in his hoards- there should be nothing that big or sharp in there though- the biggest would be a small chick pea size and he's only going to eat that rather than pouch is as it is already stored, so hopefully that will be ok.

I hope he doesn't get stressed like You said Higgins did, Maz, at not being given any food to hoard for a while.

I decided this morning when I dropped him off to think positively so went to the shop and bought a pouch of ellas kitchen 'Apples, Carrots and parsnips'. I have put a small blob in his tank on a jar lid (aprox pea sized?!). It does have a dash of lemon in the ingredients but hopefully it will be ok until I can get my Asda delivery for an alternative. I have used an icecube tray to freeze pea sized blobs so that I don't waste too much. Not sure how much or how often I should give this though?! Vet wasn't really sure and said he'd get back to me. I've added a photo of ingredients list of another baby food- can anyone confirm that this is all safe to give?

I have soaked some science selective pellets: 5g to start with (which is the min daily amount suggested) to put in for him also. They are now soft and squishy but formed so hopefully that's right? I guess if he actually eats the soaked Science selective, anything else i am able to give him is a bonus as it should be complete nutrition for him?

Do you think I can still put in a piece of fresh veg for him daily? Or I could alternate veg piece with a little scrambled egg/omelette/a piece of cooked chicken?

I want to try the best to do everything right for his recovery but worried that I might under feed him over the course of 2 weeks without his seed mix! also don't want to cause any tummy/digestive issues as a result.

I've added a few boring pics of food etc to try and illustrate what I mean. The first photo of the SS In a dish is 10g (max daily amount suggested). I then only soaked half of this as it looked a lot to begin trialling soaking.

 

[Maz]

Good news he is recovering after surgery. It's important, post-surgery, to keep the room warm at all times for the next few days. Hamsters are affected by the anaesthetic and can get very cold. I would keep to the soft foods for 2 weeks as mentioned and not put veg out. The science selective should be really mushy. Personally I wouldn't put that much out as they pouch most food rather than eat it. I'd just put a few pellets out daily. They eat very small amounts each day and mainly pouch and hoard food. I personally avoid the baby foods with lemon juice in but it'll probably be ok as a one off. I;ve been getting them from Amazon to be able to get the ones I know have safe ingredients (and the hamsters like).

I would put a bit more than that out - maybe a teaspoonful. I only put a pea sized amount out if it's to disguise medicine To make sure they get the medicine and don't leave any. Has he been given pain relief to take? He'll need it after surgery. If it's just to put the medicine in then that's about the right amount you have there.

The baby food jars I have, have to be used within 24 hours and can't be frozen. So I give it for two nights. First night when opened, keep in the fridge, then give it the second night. And then either discard or eat it! Other pets may enjoy finishing it off. Freezing in ice cube trays is a good idea but you need to check if it's suitable for freezing or not - some aren't.

Hipp organic sweet squash and chicken

Hipp organic carrots and peas

Hipp organic apple and pear (Note this is the only fruit one I've found that has no lemon juice - I give it for two days and eat the rest ha ha - it's lovely)

Also the Peas Peas Peas from Ella's kitchen - but that seems hard to find these days. Unfortunately most of the Ella's kitchen pouches all contain lemon juice.