Why did my two hamsters die suddenly with labored breathing?

Thanks for reaching out about Biscuit. By the description, he might have had a seizure or cardiac event. Dilated cardiomyopathy is relatively common in hamsters. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and listen to the heart for any arrhythmia or murmur. Not all heart disease is detectable via a stethoscope, therefore radiographs might be recommended to visualize heart size. This is not curable but could be managed with medications if diagnosed. Good luck.

I am so sorry to hear that. If she hasn’t been breathing for several minutes then she is likely deceased. Hamsters lifespan is 2-3 years so she may have died of natural causes. Another common problem is respiratory infections which are difficult to see until they are almost too sick to treat. I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I'm sorry to hear that! I don't see Theo's age. Typically hamsters live about 2 years. So depending on how long you've had him, he may have been reaching the end of his natural life span. These little guys can take a turn for the worse very quickly, so its not unusual for them to seemingly die suddenly. There is no way to know the cause of death without doing an autopsy and having a little more information on how he was acting and doing in the hours and day or 2 before he died. If you just found him dead in the last 12 hours, you can all a veterinarian local to you and ask if they'd be willing to do an autopsy. I would recommend that you clean the cage and change the bedding for the other hamster, just in case it was something potentially contagious. I'm so sorry for you loss. Thank you for trusting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question.

Hamsters do hibernate, but typically it occurs when the temperature drops below 65F. Hamsters live in average 18 months to 2.5 years, so unfortunately it could be that Viker is getting old and reaching the end of his life. I'd recommend a visit with the vet as soon as possible for him. Best of luck.

It sounds as if your hamster is very sick. Usually when hamsters become so ill in such a short period of time there is not a good outcome. There could be several different things going on that have caused Comet to become ill so quickly. My best recommendation is to have Comet examined by a veterinarian to give him the best chance of recovery. I hope this helps. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I can see that your hamster is hunched and her fur is raised. Her labored breathing is cause for concern. It can be caused by infections or masses, and requires veterinary attention right away. The blood you identified can be caused by bloody stool, or even a rectal prolapse, both of which are serious medical conditions. She should be seen by a vet as soon as possible, as she may require supportive care to be stabilized. I hope all is well!

I’m so sorry that Cookie isn’t doing well. It sounds like he may be sick. There are several things that could be going on like an infection, cancer and more. It is hard to say whether he is dying without doin an exam on him. It does worry me that he is cold though. If you are able to take her to the vet then I would. The vet will be able to tel Lyon what is wrong and whether he can be helped with some medicine. I hope this helps!