Odd Hamster Death (cause?)

[AbiJoy_]

Hi,

My sweet Syrian Hamster Olivia passed away in my hands yesterday. She had been acting strange about a week ago breathing quickly and wobbling when she walked. I put her in a smaller cage to keep an eye on her and she had seemed to recover from whatever was causing her discomfort. Two nights ago I took her out to hold her and she was acting really slow and off and I had a feeling she wouldn't last long. Yesterday morning she was sitting on top of her bedding (she did this before when she was acting off) so I took her out and she started wobbling when she walked again. I held her for a bit and she slowly became more limp until she was unable to sit up and just laid down in my hands. I would have thought this a normal death of old age (she was 1.7yrs.) But before she died her nose and mouth started bubbling with saliva and she started breathing only through her mouth and almost gasping for air. She had also been sneezing/coughing(?) slightly before. Luckily she died pretty quickly so I hope she didn't suffer long.

Any ideas about what underlying causes may have caused her death? Or does it sound like simply old age?

Thanks!
Abbey (in honor of Olivia)

 

[elusive]

I’m so sorry to hear this, it must have been quite distressing for you & it’s always very sad & upsetting to lose a hamster.
My first thought is either a stroke initially & possibly another later which would explain her symptoms, this isn’t uncommon in hamsters & can happen at any age although it is more common in older hamsters.
The other possibility is a problem with her heart, again this is something that is more common in older hamsters but can also be a genetic weakness that can cause death at any age.
The change in her breathing at the end of life is quite normal, I’ve seen it myself & know how distressing it is but it. just. happens as the heart gives out at the end & they can no longer get enough oxygen.

Whatever the cause may have been I don’t think you could have done any more for her & gave her the best care & comfort you could.

It’s a very difficult time & my heart goes out to you.

 

[AbiJoy_]

I’m so sorry to hear this, it must have been quite distressing for you & it’s always very sad & upsetting to lose a hamster.
My first thought is either a stroke initially & possibly another later which would explain her symptoms, this isn’t uncommon in hamsters & can happen at any age although it is more common in older hamsters.
The other possibility is a problem with her heart, again this is something that is more common in older hamsters but can also be a genetic weakness that can cause death at any age.
The change in her breathing at the end of life is quite normal, I’ve seen it myself & know how distressing it is but it. just. happens as the heart gives out at the end & they can no longer get enough oxygen.

Whatever the cause may have been I don’t think you could have done any more for her & gave her the best care & comfort you could.

It’s a very difficult time & my heart goes out to you.

Thank you so much, it means a lot to me. Yeah, I had considered a stroke too because the quick breathing and wobbly walking.

Thanks again <3

 

[Daisy]

I'm so sorry you lost Olivia in such a distressing way.

The symptoms could also potentially point to heart failure. This would cause faster breathing and also potentially the bubbling from her nose at the end if there was fluid in her lungs.

When hamsters breathe through their mouths, it can either be a normal part of the process just before death, or it can be because there's a problem with their lungs resulting in them not getting enough oxygen, or an inflammation or obstruction of the nasal passages. Either way, there wouldn't have been anything you could have done. It's almost always a terminal symptom unfortunately. I have seen it in a gerbil who was dying from heart failure.

I know how difficult it is when you don't know the cause of a death.

 

[Maz]

I am so sorry for your loss. It's very hard for you, especially when we expect them to live much longer. Heart failure can have genetic causes from birth that come out later.

 

[HamsterMumMo]

So sorry to hear about the loss of Olivia, sending lots of love and healing your way. I know how hard a process it can be

My second ever hamster many years ago was similar just before he died (limp, slow moving and wobbling) and I believe that was a stroke, but didn't have the breathing or bubbling from the mouth, so perhaps the others are right in that it could be related to the heart.

 

[Frida]

So sorry for your loss

 

[Socks' Mum]

Sad to hear, saying goodbye to a pet you have loved is terribly difficult.