386. An aged dwarf hamster stopped breathing on the op table
The dwarf hamster stopped breathing as the last of 3 stitches closed up her 3-cm long skin wound. She had gas anaesthesia in a transparent container packed with cotton wool. As soon as she closed her eyelids, she was taken out and the 10-cent coin size of skin lump was cut off. But now, she seemed to have died as Nurse Ann wiped off the blood from her wound with a piece of tissue paper.
"No water," I advised Nurse Ann who normally would flush off the blood from the skin with plenty of water. "The hamster would just die from shock and the coldness. So, just slowly wipe off the blood with the tissue paper."
As Nurse Ann wiped the blood in the air-conditioned operation room, I noticed that the hamster stopped breathing.
She was 3 years old and could be considered an old woman by human standards. The father had brought the thin pet in for euthanasia. His teenaged son loved the hamster but the lump had grown bigger and had ulcerated since 4 weeks ago. The owners were informed that the hamster could just die on the operating table as she was high anaesthetic risk. The father consented to the surgery.
Now, the hamster has stopped struggling against the pain and the cleaning. Was this aged hamster dead?
"Take it out of the operation room," I said. "Out of the air conditioned operating room. Outside the Surgery. The best place for her would be the car bonnet."
It was an extremely hot afternoon. "I switch on the engine," the father of the teenaged boy opened his right front door as Nurse Ann placed the hamster on his warm car bonnet. He had parked his car less than 30 minutes ago to request for euthanasia.
Nurse Ann patiently soaked the the blood from the hamster's right side. The hamster was still life-less. After 60 seconds, there was a slight movement of the hind legs. The hamster got up and slided down the bonnet. The teenaged boy extended his hands to block her from falling off the car. It was a good sign.
There was hope of renewing the friendship between a teenager and a hamster. A friend for over 3 years was not letting him down by passing away. She put her front paws, rubbed her eyes and then combed her head. As if she wanted to be presentable for all of us. She was conscious. The anaesthetic gas and shock had disappeared from her body. How long would he be living? We had to wait and see.
The teenaged boy put the hamster into her plastic container. "Feed her with liquid food frequently over the weekend," I said. "If the hamster could survive the next 3 days, she should be back to normal."
Today was one of those extremely hot and humid Saturdays. Singaporeans cursed and swore at this inconvenience, but for the hamster the heat saved her life. Much better than an electrical warming pad. The father of the teenaged boy brought her in for euthanasia. But he had an option of Surgery. He gambled and won. The hamster left the Surgery with a chance of renewing the friendship with the boy who loved her very much.
"No water," I advised Nurse Ann who normally would flush off the blood from the skin with plenty of water. "The hamster would just die from shock and the coldness. So, just slowly wipe off the blood with the tissue paper."
As Nurse Ann wiped the blood in the air-conditioned operation room, I noticed that the hamster stopped breathing.
She was 3 years old and could be considered an old woman by human standards. The father had brought the thin pet in for euthanasia. His teenaged son loved the hamster but the lump had grown bigger and had ulcerated since 4 weeks ago. The owners were informed that the hamster could just die on the operating table as she was high anaesthetic risk. The father consented to the surgery.
Now, the hamster has stopped struggling against the pain and the cleaning. Was this aged hamster dead?
"Take it out of the operation room," I said. "Out of the air conditioned operating room. Outside the Surgery. The best place for her would be the car bonnet."
It was an extremely hot afternoon. "I switch on the engine," the father of the teenaged boy opened his right front door as Nurse Ann placed the hamster on his warm car bonnet. He had parked his car less than 30 minutes ago to request for euthanasia.
Nurse Ann patiently soaked the the blood from the hamster's right side. The hamster was still life-less. After 60 seconds, there was a slight movement of the hind legs. The hamster got up and slided down the bonnet. The teenaged boy extended his hands to block her from falling off the car. It was a good sign.
There was hope of renewing the friendship between a teenager and a hamster. A friend for over 3 years was not letting him down by passing away. She put her front paws, rubbed her eyes and then combed her head. As if she wanted to be presentable for all of us. She was conscious. The anaesthetic gas and shock had disappeared from her body. How long would he be living? We had to wait and see.
The teenaged boy put the hamster into her plastic container. "Feed her with liquid food frequently over the weekend," I said. "If the hamster could survive the next 3 days, she should be back to normal."
Today was one of those extremely hot and humid Saturdays. Singaporeans cursed and swore at this inconvenience, but for the hamster the heat saved her life. Much better than an electrical warming pad. The father of the teenaged boy brought her in for euthanasia. But he had an option of Surgery. He gambled and won. The hamster left the Surgery with a chance of renewing the friendship with the boy who loved her very much.
posted by Photography by Sing Kong Yuen | 3:40 AM
1 Comments:
Oh!!
I was looking for chinese hamster's pictures and I found your blog.
It's a really tender story.
:) I have a hamster too and,even when they are very little, the love that we can be extremely fond of they.
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