Orsa

[Eriathwen]

Well Orsa woke up in a foul mood this morning she did eventually seem satisfied that I knew my place and hopped into my hand to take her medications.
She does make me laugh bless her, goes to show how little capacity she has to actually bite these days though.

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[RainbowBrite]

Ouch! You are amazing to leave your hand there. You are brave! Lol.

 

[Member ID2]

She tried her best, lol. Must have been so annoying for her not to get the desired effect. Has Orsa lost her teeth?

 

[Eriathwen]

She still has her teeth, but her jaw has weakened so she doesn't have much force behind it anymore, but she makes up for it with enthusiasm she's managing to keep the teeth nice and trim although I've been adding extra soft foods into her diet.

 

[Maz]

If she wasn't quite awake she might have been thinking you were the syringe

 

[Eriathwen]

It seems Orsa and I both make the same face when woken up poor thing, once she had her baytril tonight she wanted to have an explore and cause some havoc (mainly trying to chew my fingers and duvet cover!) I figured I'd balance out yesterday's video with some cute pictures, she didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea that she isnt still an adorable, harmless fluffball lol!

 

[RainbowBrite]

What a beautiful, sweet little munchkin. She really is so precious.

I notice the piggy duvet cover. I love it!

 

[Member ID2]

The first photo is hilarious! Love the whole sequence of photos with Orsa gradually waking up to look all beautiful and alert in the last photos.

 

[Eriathwen]

Poor Orsa has had a little bit of a wobble, between the sudden cold snap and reaching almost the end of her baytril which has started to go cloudy, shes a little under the weather again. I've been down to collect fresh baytril and she has extra warmth, she's picked a little at some baby food but she's not interested in eating much.
Unfortunately if she doesn't rally round in the next few days it may be time to take her to be pts. She's done amazing though, a very tough little thing. Fingers crossed she bounces back!

 

[RainbowBrite]

I am sorry to hear little Orsa is unwell and not interested in her food. I know you have a lot of experience with this but it is still painful for you. I hope she does rally around soon.

 

[Maz]

I'm sorry to hear that. I also hope she comes round a bit and isn't too off colour. It's difficult to gauge when it's time sometimes, but you will know I am sure if that is the case or she may give you a sign. I think if they refuse all food and water for a day or two it can be a sign they are going - but then it's - do you wait a bit longer or help them on their way. You just need to gauge how she is and decide if she is suffering or just doing things her own way to a degree. But I'm sure you know all that anyway. I didn't word that very well. They of course "do things their own way" and as my vet once said - all pets will die at home if you leave them long enough - it's just are they suffering and when do you decide it's not fair to wait.

Hopefully it's just a wobble x

 

[Eriathwen]

Thankyou both, she luckily seems OK in herself otherwise, she's been up and about a few times today, so she's quite happily carrying on with life in spite of her lack of appetite. She isnt suffering which is a relief, whatever this infection is secondary to, it doesn't seem to be anything causing her any discomfort or pain.

 

[Maz]

That's good to hear Very up and down time though isn't it? For you I mean.

 

[Eriathwen]

It is, yeah. And they're up and down so quickly you just don't get the time to properly process it.

 

[Eriathwen]

Shes just had a few mouthfuls of soaked pellets and oats. I'm going to give her a little time for her meds to work through her system and then I think I'll try her on a small amount of complan from a syringe. It did wonders for my gerbils when they were elderly and poorly, so I'm hopeful it will give her a bit of a boost.

 

[RainbowBrite]

That is a good idea. It is really good to hear she has eaten today.

 

[Member ID2]

Didn't know that hamsters can have complan. Is that not too rich for a hamster's sensitive digestive system?

Glad to hear that Orsa has eaten some soaked pellets.

 

[Maz]

I was wondering that too. It's sort of milky and sweet isn't it? I suppose in the short term if it doesn't upset her digestion then it could be a comfort. I think it's mainly to give calories and vitamins though and you can get that from hemp seeds and ground nuts - but maybe she can't eat those? Some of our older hamsters would just lick up the shelled hemp seeds (they're kind of fluffy the shelled ones). They're supposed to contain all vitamins needed and high in calorie due to healthy fats. I get the Linwoods ones rather than the non shelled ones (they're intended for humans to put on their breakfast!).

 

[Eriathwen]

A tiny amount made with water is fine as a little energy boost. She doesn't seem able to chew her seeds at the moment, if it isn't mush she won't touch it bless her, but she's not eating large enough amounts of the soaked food to properly sustain her.
Rat rations sell liquid diets for elderly and sick rats etc that contain complan and both my gerbils and these girls have done well on a small amount from time to time Unfortunately the 'moo mix' I currently have is out of date, but I have to have complan shakes myself so she had a tiny bit of powder from one of mine.

 

[Eriathwen]

Very relieved to report she is back to her old self again, snatching food from me and eating well. She's also much, much more active! I hope she knows the stress she causes me, little bugger