Ouch
Animals Index
Animals Index
Ouch
Gotcha day August 20, 2005
ATB November 3, 2005
This is Ouch, a Campbells Dwarf hamster. I rescued him from the
Cranston Animal Shelter along with four other hamsters, all scheduled
for euthanasia because no one would adopt them. It had been in the news recently about some
organ transplant recipients who had died as a result of a virus carried by
rodents, and since they were on immunosuppressant drugs for the organ
tranplants, they got sick from the virus and died. As a result,
people started dumping hamsters and other rodents at shelters,
believing they would give them deadly diseases. In reality, it was
the immunosuppressant drugs that caused the problem.
Ouch got his name because he is very cage-protective, and he bites
whenever I reach inside (which makes giving him food an interesting
event). He isn't really aggressive, just nervous around human hands,
and obviously he didn't have a very loving background. I don't mind
it when he bites, and I understand he's just trying to protect
himself, so I'm very careful with him. Once I'm holding him, he's
actually very calm and friendly.
I discovered that Ouch is much more comfortable in a playground box
than a habitrail, so I moved him into the box and gave him all the
toys and playthings he could want. This seems to make him happy, and
he's much better about my hands when he's not protecting his cage.
After a while, I noticed that Ouch drinks an excessive amount of
water. I read that this could indicate either diabetes, or a bladder
or kidney infection. Unorfunately, I never got the chance to bring
him to the vet.
Epilogue:
Update November 3, 2005:
On a morning where good news was very much absent, I discovered Ouch
was lethargic and cool to the touch. I knew his time was very close,
so I held him, I spoke softly to him and told him that it would be
okay, not to be afraid, and that I was sorry.
This candle burns for you, Ouch.
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