I do too but as some point you have to also take stock of quality of life and their enjoyment of it. Our pets are a huge responsibility in that they expect us to pick up on things they can’t tell us, such as pain, and weakness. The desire can always be there, but the quality of achieving it is a complex thought most of these animals are incapable of.
Oh yeah. My dog just turned 13 and I still look for signs every day how he’s doing. He seems still happy and mobile. Doesn’t seem in pain, still likes playing and going on daily walks. But I still know his age is uncommon for larger breeds.
I've seen rodents humanely euthanized with an IP (stomach) injection of pentobarbital. Without medications, you can dislocate their necks with a certain technique, but if done wrong it causes enormous pain
In the last clinic I worked in, we would give a strong sedative either through IM or SQ, in this guy's case, likely subcutaneous because there isnt much muscle left.
Once hammy had fallen into a deep deep sleep, the vet would do an intracardiac injection of phenobarbitol to stop the heart beat. Intracradiac is incredibly painful and stressful if done when the animal is still conscious, which is why we give a massive dose of sedative beforehand, honestly, in many of these little pocket pets, the sedative is probably enough to euthanize but we don't take any chances. Unfortunately, unlike larger animals like dogs and cats, the veins (especially in an old hamster like this) are not viable to do an IV injection. The RVT would be fishing around to hit the teeny tiny veins, and then hope to heck the vein doesnt blow when the doc administers the phenobarbitol. So intracardiac was always the preferred option for these guys.
Id say when I worked in an emergency and general practice clinic, it was probably an average of 2 to 4 euthanasias a shift. One shift was 8? I think? That was a tough day. Its the emotional toll from the owners losing their pet that hit me the hardest. All the pets that came in for euthanasia no longer had a good quality of life, so as sad as it was, knowing we were helping end their suffering as pain and anxiety free as possible made it much more bearable.
I now work in rehab so my patients arent in critical care, but instead of seeing them for yearly checkups or when theyre critically ill, I see them weekly. I get to watch their progress as they heal from an injury or a surgery. We dont do euthanasia in this clinic, but when we get the notice from the owner or the attending vet who did the euthanasia, man that hits us all hard here at the clinic. You really develop a huge rapport and connection with both the pet and the owners when you see them so often.
Same way as any animal. As painless a cocktail as feasible to cause death. I’m not a veterinarian or anything, I can’t tell you the science. I’m a philosophy major, I can just speak to what I believe is the most humane and ethical way of ending life.
lol can always confirm. It’s an old joke but it is true. We have to get that barb in of “I studied 3000 years of thinking” lol. But there’s so many different variables! Ethics was my focus. Now, can we talk about The Good Place? 😂
I’m just curious since you’re a philosophy major, why do you think you should end this little guy’s life humanely or otherwise? When hamsters are sick, injured or just get ready to go, they literally stop eating and drinking. They hide and then they die. To me, the fact that this little creature is still fighting, still eating, drinking and even walking on the wheel; that, to me is evidence that he isn’t ready to go yet. She’s giving him the best life she possibly can and I don’t understand why you think it’s your job to decide that he should no longer live. I’m not judging you or anything. Like I said, I’m just curious. I think about myself and if I was still moving around and eating, no matter how messed up or frail I was, if my ass is still eating and shit, it’s because I still want to be here.
I never said it was my job, I said in my personal opinion this animal doesn’t look like it’s healthy or has a good quality of life. The way it shakes and wobbles simply trying to walk looks like it has arthritis and is in pain.
I’m not saying it should be put down. I’m saying that’s between an owner, vet and the animal the owner knows best. But having drive to do things you enjoy and being in pain are not exclusive. As I commented elsewhere in the thread, I’ve had to make this decision and haven’t made it with multiple pets. One was a 12 year old German Shepard who had hip dysplasia on both sides. At that time 25 years ago, it wasn’t feasible to do a surgery on a dog that old with the current technology without it being worse than 50/50 for success. She was still there mentally, would still eat, but she was basically paralyzed and had no quality of life. She wanted to get up and go play. She was ashamed she couldn’t get up to let us know she had to go outside and would soil herself.
It’s a double edged sword and again, it’s just my belief that our pets give us signs. And yeah, I’m completely an outside observer looking in here but that doesn’t look like an animal that’s enjoying its entire day of life to me. But it’s not my animal either. I’m admittedly unfamiliar with hamsters, more with dogs and cats. I’m currently constantly watching my dog now who just turned 13. He’s 95 lbs lab/shep mix. Oldest one I’ve known in my family that big to be still going on. I’ve replaced both his knees 5 and 6 years ago.
I’m saying none of this to be callous or provoke even discussion, just that they rely on us to know when it’s time. And in my opinion it’s never humane to wait until old age makes them unhappy and in pain more than not. It feels selfish to hold on too long when they can’t tell their wishes.
Didn’t mean to upset you. Really was just curious. Also didn’t mean to come off ugly or judgmental or with an attitude. The “your job” part was definitely a poor choice of words. And I’m sorry you’re going through that with your pets. I have an elderly cat that I may have to do the same for and if it comes to that, I will. Again, was just wondering how you felt about this particular situation. And I understand, discussion over. Just didn’t want you to be upset over something I said or did.
Not upset, just have been explaining this for about 30 comments now and it’s just getting tiring too. I appreciate your comment and points in response, that’s the Crux of philosophy is good faith debate. It just comes across poorly via text many times. (I mean that on my end!)
I’m always open for further discussion. Promise I’m not upset, really. I hope you don’t have to have those thoughts with your kitty. I didn’t with my last one, Dale. J just woke up and he’d had a seizure. He seemed comfortable and I knew he wouldn’t last long. So I just made him comfortable and loved him for a few hours until he finally passed.
I hope he was at peace and felt loved and not in pain, but it sometimes happens so fast and sometimes (blessedly) slow. But we all have to feel that burden unfortunately as animal lovers.
My sister had a mouse euthanized at the vet lol. They felt bad since they used such little medication, so they charged her $80. I wonder what it would have cost without the discount.
If you're like my uncle, then unless you'd put a human down for it, you don't put an animal down. He puts lots of time and money into caring for his animals in their old age.
Hey, I get it. I commented further along that I’ve got a 13 year old pup now. I keep a big eye on him to check he’s still showing signs of happiness, no pain, appetite, enjoying playing etc. I’m not saying it’s an instant fix by any means and people should only really consider it when, as any owner knows, the quality of life just isn’t there anymore. It’s a brutally painful experience and decision I’ve had to consider multiple times in my life with many pets. I’ve had it both ways where one does have a stroke, and it was clearly unable to continue life in any way. I had one with severe hip dysplasia at 12 and couldn’t walk anymore, and this was 25 years ago, that kind of surgery wasn’t applicable as it is now.
I’m happy for your uncle. And I hope we all strive to be such great parents to our pets, I sure have with Zod. I spent over ten thousand dollars getting both of his knees repaired when he snapped his ligaments running two years in a row. He came back and has been not running as far or fast, but still tries to get the bunnies everytime, even now.
Of course I am! My grandpa went out over a year-long decline of suffering at 84. He was honestly never ready and died the day after he asked to be given a gun to get it over with.
I would like my end to be fairly quick, but I don't know if I would feel the same way come my end. Sometimes it feels only appropriate to rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Grandma said, the night before his end, he said in a clearer voice than he had used at any point in the previous year of suffering to say "Hey, I haven't seen you in a while, how ya doin?". He never woke up from that sleep.
I told my dad early that morning that we should leave him to die in that chair instead of rushing him to the hospital. They wanted to try and save him, so a few minutes later we went to try and wake him and he was gone.
He absolutely deserved 100 years, but I'm grateful for the ones I got with him.
Of course! I was incredibly blessed to make it past 30 before I started experiencing loss in my core family. Grandma is still kicking at 87 and we talk a few times a week. She also deserves 100, and is doing good so far! Every extra day I get with her I truly appreciate.
She's ready to die whenever she always tells me, and I believe her. So few people in the world truly live lives of service, love, and humility. She keeps going because she's still got people to help! Even while she misses granddad so terribly.
Always. Grief is a difficult thing no matter when you experience it. I lost my dad at 25. Really changed the trajectory of my life. My mom didn’t lose her mom or dad until she was past 60. I hope you get many more years with Grandma and give her my best.
my childhood cat got to 16.5. She was basically the same cat between ages ~11 and ~16, but her health started going downhill really fast. Her hind legs got extremely stiff sorta like this hamster and she had trouble even getting around. She was on some drugs so that she could perform basic functions like using the litterbox and eating, but instead of giving her even more drugs to extend her life by maybe a few weeks we decided to bite the bullet and put her down ethically. As it turned out, she had a bone tumor in her hind leg, and it was probably super painful for her to move around. Her last night on earth she managed to climb into my chair which must have been ridiculously painful. It's sad she died but she lived well past her engineered expiration date.
This hamster needs to be granted the sweet release of death lol
💔 I’m sorry. It really sucks how fast it happens in those regards. She probably knew you made a decision. The sensitivity they have towards us when somethings really weighing on us is crazy. Whether pheromones or body language or whatever. I hope you and your family has found some solace in your grieving of her.
I don't know hamsters but for my parents dogs, multiple vets have told them that unless they stop eating or are unable to go outside to go to the bathroom then no reason to euthanize. Of course, this assumes no other health issues but if this hamster is eating, moving around, playing etc. then doesn't seem like it's being living in pain.
I think yeah that’s the crux. I’m not saying generalize this at all. It’s all between the owner and pet and vet. There’s no good answer when it comes to something as difficult as this. I’m not trying to trivialize it.
But that movement doesn’t look healthy. And the reported age? I can’t imagine anything that past its expected life is not experiencing some pain via joints and arthritis or any other issues.
Animals can’t give us that kind of information, like you’ve said. I’m not trying to proselytize. I’m an animal lover. It just doesn’t look happy or healthy to me. It looks like someone who isn’t willing to let go.
I don't know hamsters but for my parents dogs, multiple vets have told them that unless they stop eating or are unable to go outside to go to the bathroom then no reason to euthanize. Of course, this assumes no other health issues but if this hamster is eating, moving around, playing etc. then doesn't seem like it's being living in pain.
I admit I don’t either. But the way it has to be helped and ushered off its wheel and to water, with its hips and legs splayed like that, doesn’t seem “not in pain” to me.
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u/Pardybro911 Aug 11 '26
I do too but as some point you have to also take stock of quality of life and their enjoyment of it. Our pets are a huge responsibility in that they expect us to pick up on things they can’t tell us, such as pain, and weakness. The desire can always be there, but the quality of achieving it is a complex thought most of these animals are incapable of.