This SO sucks: My daughter's hamster just died, but she's asleep and doesn't know

So my wife was changing my daughter's hamster's water bottle, when she noticed how sluggish he was. I checked on him, and he was clearly very, very ill. I took him down to the local animal hospital and, long story short, they recommended he be euthanized.

This all has happened so quickly. We noticed Marvin was quite ill at roughly midnight, and by 1 a.m. he was dead. It's now 3:30 a.m. Perhaps the most screwed up part in all this, though, is that my daughter has been asleep since 9 p.m. last night -- which means she'll be completely blindsided by the bad news in the morning.

She's experienced the death of pets before, but this will be the first of her pets to die. In some strange way, there's a sweet side to this: I know my little girl will grow up a bit tomorrow, but I gotta say this is the sort of milestone I don't particularly look forward to.

Have any of you parents/caregivers gone through this? How'd it go?
[Edited 7/9/09 1:03am]

Lammastide said:

So my wife was changing my daughter's hamster's water bottle, when she noticed how sluggish he was. I checked on him, and he was clearly very, very ill. I took him down to the local animal hospital and, long story short, they recommended he be euthanized.

This all has happened so quickly. We noticed Marvin was quite ill at roughly midnight, and by 1 a.m. he was dead. It's now 3 a.m. Perhaps the most screwed up part in all this, though, is that my daughter has been asleep since 9 p.m. last night -- which means she'll be completely blindsided by the bad news in the morning.

She's experienced the death of pets before, but this will be the first of her pets to die. In some strange way, there's a sweet side to this: I know my little girl will grow up a bit tomorrow, but I gotta say this is the sort of milestone I don't particularly look forward to.

Have any of you parents/caregivers gone through this? How'd it go?

Lammastide said:

So my wife was changing my daughter's hamster's water bottle, when she noticed how sluggish he was. I checked on him, and he was clearly very, very ill. I took him down to the local animal hospital and, long story short, they recommended he be euthanized.

This all has happened so quickly. We noticed Marvin was quite ill at roughly midnight, and by 1 a.m. he was dead. It's now 3 a.m. Perhaps the most screwed up part in all this, though, is that my daughter has been asleep since 9 p.m. last night -- which means she'll be completely blindsided by the bad news in the morning.

She's experienced the death of pets before, but this will be the first of her pets to die. In some strange way, there's a sweet side to this: I know my little girl will grow up a bit tomorrow, but I gotta say this is the sort of milestone I don't particularly look forward to.

Have any of you parents/caregivers gone through this? How'd it go?

ZombieKitten said:

Lammastide said:

So my wife was changing my daughter's hamster's water bottle, when she noticed how sluggish he was. I checked on him, and he was clearly very, very ill. I took him down to the local animal hospital and, long story short, they recommended he be euthanized.

This all has happened so quickly. We noticed Marvin was quite ill at roughly midnight, and by 1 a.m. he was dead. It's now 3 a.m. Perhaps the most screwed up part in all this, though, is that my daughter has been asleep since 9 p.m. last night -- which means she'll be completely blindsided by the bad news in the morning.

She's experienced the death of pets before, but this will be the first of her pets to die. In some strange way, there's a sweet side to this: I know my little girl will grow up a bit tomorrow, but I gotta say this is the sort of milestone I don't particularly look forward to.

Have any of you parents/caregivers gone through this? How'd it go?

My boys have experienced the death of their cousin's grandfather and their dog, nobody in our own family yet. I think kids will generally take these things in their stride. Let your daughter make a special memorial for her hamster and something that can be a keepsake so she will remember him forever.

ZombieKitten said:

Lammastide said:

So my wife was changing my daughter's hamster's water bottle, when she noticed how sluggish he was. I checked on him, and he was clearly very, very ill. I took him down to the local animal hospital and, long story short, they recommended he be euthanized.

This all has happened so quickly. We noticed Marvin was quite ill at roughly midnight, and by 1 a.m. he was dead. It's now 3 a.m. Perhaps the most screwed up part in all this, though, is that my daughter has been asleep since 9 p.m. last night -- which means she'll be completely blindsided by the bad news in the morning.

She's experienced the death of pets before, but this will be the first of her pets to die. In some strange way, there's a sweet side to this: I know my little girl will grow up a bit tomorrow, but I gotta say this is the sort of milestone I don't particularly look forward to.

Have any of you parents/caregivers gone through this? How'd it go?

My boys have experienced the death of their cousin's grandfather and their dog, nobody in our own family yet. I think kids will generally take these things in their stride. Let your daughter make a special memorial for her hamster and something that can be a keepsake so she will remember him forever.

Ottensen said:

ZombieKitten said:

My boys have experienced the death of their cousin's grandfather and their dog, nobody in our own family yet. I think kids will generally take these things in their stride. Let your daughter make a special memorial for her hamster and something that can be a keepsake so she will remember him forever.

You're so wise . The hamster episode happened to me while I was babysitting once, and as God is my witness my girlfriend (the little girl's mommy) told her the hamster had a cold, was sleeping, and went out to the pet store and bought an imposter hamster .

Lammastide said:

Ottensen said:

You're so wise . The hamster episode happened to me while I was babysitting once, and as God is my witness my girlfriend (the little girl's mommy) told her the hamster had a cold, was sleeping, and went out to the pet store and bought an imposter hamster .

Don't think that hasn't passed my mind. But I wanna be honest.

...Did it work, though?

endymion said:

Lammastide said:

So my wife was changing my daughter's hamster's water bottle, when she noticed how sluggish he was. I checked on him, and he was clearly very, very ill. I took him down to the local animal hospital and, long story short, they recommended he be euthanized.

This all has happened so quickly. We noticed Marvin was quite ill at roughly midnight, and by 1 a.m. he was dead. It's now 3 a.m. Perhaps the most screwed up part in all this, though, is that my daughter has been asleep since 9 p.m. last night -- which means she'll be completely blindsided by the bad news in the morning.

She's experienced the death of pets before, but this will be the first of her pets to die. In some strange way, there's a sweet side to this: I know my little girl will grow up a bit tomorrow, but I gotta say this is the sort of milestone I don't particularly look forward to.

Have any of you parents/caregivers gone through this? How'd it go?

My sons guinea pig died a few years ago i think he was about 8 when we told him he cried his little heart out

When my daughters died about a year later she was like yeah whateva she would have been about 7

My son now has two mice 1 he named Steve Irwin after the crocodile hunter guy who died right around the time we got them the other is Sean White who is a skateboarder apparently

ZombieKitten said:

Lammastide said:

Don't think that hasn't passed my mind. But I wanna be honest.

...Did it work, though?

I don't think I could do that, it would kind of be like lying to my kids. I know they can handle the truth. Death is a normal part of life.

Lammastide said:

ZombieKitten said:

My boys have experienced the death of their cousin's grandfather and their dog, nobody in our own family yet. I think kids will generally take these things in their stride. Let your daughter make a special memorial for her hamster and something that can be a keepsake so she will remember him forever.

That's a great idea. My wife already has thrown together a little obituary using some photos of Marvin she had on her laptop .

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

Lammastide said:

Lammastide said:

endymion said:

My sons guinea pig died a few years ago i think he was about 8 when we told him he cried his little heart out

When my daughters died about a year later she was like yeah whateva she would have been about 7

My son now has two mice 1 he named Steve Irwin after the crocodile hunter guy who died right around the time we got them the other is Sean White who is a skateboarder apparently

My daughter is 8. I'm thinking she'll take it hard. She asked for him for months, and even made a short flick with him, "The Adventures of Space Hamster," on my computer. I suppose that'll be another keepsake.

NastradumasKid said:

Lammastide said:

That's a great idea. My wife already has thrown together a little obituary using some photos of Marvin she had on her laptop .

AWWW.... it's okay I took care of a kitten once for over a week and it died, literally, in my hands, I cried all nite long.

OH NO! I'm so sorry

Before I had kids I had a pet hamster. It was the most spoiled hamster ever. One day I found it the same kind of way you described - I called the vet and they said it had probably had a stroke. Apparently that's very common in hamsters. He lived for a few hours and then died.
I was sooo upset and cried my eyes out. Poor Bumfluff.
We buried him in a teabag box in the back garden and I vowed never to get a pet again.

Recently my parents-in-law's dog had to be put down. I was worried how my kids (aged 3 and 4) would take the news. I did some research into the best way to tell them - the things to avoid saying so not to confuse them- and they actually took it pretty well.

How old is your daughter?

ZombieKitten said:

NastradumasKid said:

AWWW.... it's okay I took care of a kitten once for over a week and it died, literally, in my hands, I cried all nite long.

oh no

I had a friend in 4th grade that stepped on her kitten and it died, the guilt she felt was terrible - I think I would have a really hard time if my child blamed themselves for something like that that would really hurt me to see.

florescent said:

OH NO! I'm so sorry

Before I had kids I had a pet hamster. It was the most spoiled hamster ever. One day I found it the same kind of way you described - I called the vet and they said it had probably had a stroke. Apparently that's very common in hamsters. He lived for a few hours and then died.
I was sooo upset and cried my eyes out. Poor Bumfluff.
We buried him in a teabag box in the back garden and I vowed never to get a pet again.

Recently my parents-in-law's dog had to be put down. I was worried how my kids (aged 3 and 4) would take the news. I did some research into the best way to tell them - the things to avoid saying so not to confuse them- and they actually took it pretty well.

How old is your daughter?

endymion said:

Lammastide said:

My daughter is 8. I'm thinking she'll take it hard. She asked for him for months, and even made a short flick with him, "The Adventures of Space Hamster," on my computer. I suppose that'll be another keepsake.

I think it was a phase with my daughter, my son is a real softy though

We got them a series of books by Betty G. Birney about a Hamster called Humphrey



not a replacement obviously but they are great fun

Lammastide said:

ZombieKitten said:

oh no

I had a friend in 4th grade that stepped on her kitten and it died, the guilt she felt was terrible - I think I would have a really hard time if my child blamed themselves for something like that that would really hurt me to see.

Interesting story. I've really been hoping something bad didn't happen to Marvin when she was around, but was too afraid to tell us. He was fine just earlier today.

My daughter's best friend, also 8, accidentally stepped on -- and killed -- one of his newborn kittens last year, and he had a very tough time as well.

i love hearing all the pets names

Lammastide said:

florescent said:

OH NO! I'm so sorry

Before I had kids I had a pet hamster. It was the most spoiled hamster ever. One day I found it the same kind of way you described - I called the vet and they said it had probably had a stroke. Apparently that's very common in hamsters. He lived for a few hours and then died.
I was sooo upset and cried my eyes out. Poor Bumfluff.
We buried him in a teabag box in the back garden and I vowed never to get a pet again.

Recently my parents-in-law's dog had to be put down. I was worried how my kids (aged 3 and 4) would take the news. I did some research into the best way to tell them - the things to avoid saying so not to confuse them- and they actually took it pretty well.

How old is your daughter?

She's 8.

endymion said:

i love hearing all the pets names

Lammastide said:

Ottensen said:

You're so wise . The hamster episode happened to me while I was babysitting once, and as God is my witness my girlfriend (the little girl's mommy) told her the hamster had a cold, was sleeping, and went out to the pet store and bought an imposter hamster .

Don't think that hasn't passed my mind. But I wanna be honest.

...Did it work, though?

I am so sorry for your daughter . I always took it extremely hard when a pet of mine died. I agree with Charlotte's advice about a ceremony for the hamster .

Martina, now orgs official resident fairy/pixie
Your name...it means Warrior. So, you are the "warrior fairy!"

awwwww, wow, be honest with her and let her do something that will help her say goodbye.

Tell her the hamster went to heaven with Micheal Jackson.

Dayclear said:

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

you are pretty wonderful, lamma

be a blood donor... the most wonderful gift


I was hoping to dress something like Prince. toned down a bit like Prince if he was just going to the zoo or the supermarket... casual Prince!

emm said:

you are pretty wonderful, lamma

Lammastide said:

So my wife was changing my daughter's hamster's water bottle, when she noticed how sluggish he was. I checked on him, and he was clearly very, very ill. I took him down to the local animal hospital and, long story short, they recommended he be euthanized.

This all has happened so quickly. We noticed Marvin was quite ill at roughly midnight, and by 1 a.m. he was dead. It's now 3:30 a.m. Perhaps the most screwed up part in all this, though, is that my daughter has been asleep since 9 p.m. last night -- which means she'll be completely blindsided by the bad news in the morning.

She's experienced the death of pets before, but this will be the first of her pets to die. In some strange way, there's a sweet side to this: I know my little girl will grow up a bit tomorrow, but I gotta say this is the sort of milestone I don't particularly look forward to.

Have any of you parents/caregivers gone through this? How'd it go?[Edited 7/9/09 1:03am]

Dayclear said: