When should I put my pet down?

I have a dwarf hamster who is now over two. She has a reoccurring condition that has been sorted every time with a 2 week course of antibiotics. It hasn’t worked this time. She’s still active and eating and drinking but the meds haven’t worked so she is still sick and she’s old for a hamster and I don’t want her to be suffering but she is still eating and drinking and stuff so I don’t know when to call it.

Any advice?

I would suggest that you speak to your veterinary practice surgeon about things and then you'll have to make a big decision on whether you let the hamster suffer more until they pass away themselves or be kind to the animal and get them put down, it's not a easy decision to make but for the interest of the animal perhaps it's best.



Obviously give the animal a opportunity to survive through it and if the veterinary practice surgeon done everything possible for it and suggest to you that its best for the animal just to be put down then do what you think is best okay.

The final decision is yours no matter what anyone else says.


A registered veterinary nurse.

I spoke to the vet and they basically said that shed be happy with me taking her home and monitoring her and shed be happy putting her down then and there so shes basically 50/50 like everyone ive asked so it was unhelpful. I have an appointment booked for friday so i think i might put her down as her abdomen feels different and shes bleeding more than she normally does when sick. Thank you for your response

Thanks for letting me know about things 🙂🙂🙂 although it sad.

At least you spoken to your vet about it and obviously they basically making you make the decision to put her down. A vet surgeon usually recommend the best decision for the animal but at the end of the day it's totally down to yourself whether or not putting her down or let her suffer at home.

How do you feel about having her at home knowing what will happen to her and if she's suffering in pain is it worth letting her go on suffering 😭😔.
If she's losing blood like you said then theres something more serious with her health especially if the vet can't do anything else.

Its a hard decision to make but you'll make the right one for the animal.
I understand how hard it is to put a animal down as we had our dog put down few years ago due to incurable disease ( cancer tumour all over the liver) so far the animal it was best thing to do while he was under on the table.

Give it a good think about the decision you'll make on Friday.

I have a dwarf hamster who is now over two. She has a reoccurring condition that has been sorted every time with a 2 week course of antibiotics. It hasn’t worked this time. She’s still active and eating and drinking but the meds haven’t worked so she is still sick and she’s old for a hamster and I don’t want her to be suffering but she is still eating and drinking and stuff so I don’t know when to call it.

Any advice?

Let the hamster live......

But she’s not going to recover from this illness and there’s a decent chance she’s in pain/suffering and is that fair?

What if you put her down just before she's about to get better?