13 August 2006

Hamsters and Mouse Poison

I am not one of those animals in the house people. I don’t have a lot of experience with Vets. None actually. Last Sunday night that all changed.

In the last expat exodus, among the tearful goodbyes with our good friends of the last three years, came the seemingly unending pet offers. These offers, voiced out loud in-front of the all-absorbing ears of our children, caused a significant amount of conversation in the family to say the least. The usual techniques of badgering and begging were mercilessly employed by our children who outnumber us 3:2. In the end our crew now consists of two adults, one boy, two girls, two hamsters, and a turtle from Odesa.

On the third day of owning the hamsters we realized one had escaped through a missing crossbar in the top of the cage. We searched the first floor and found the little creature in the guest room sniffing around with his whiskers next to half-munched mouse poison. Oops, forgot about our little mouse problem last fall. Now what? She seemed active and alert but “Google” research recommended an immediate visit to a Vet. 21:30 on a Sunday night, Kyiv business directory in hand, I call the Vet and what’s this? “Sure come on in, we’ll be waiting for you” they say on the phone. Great service. I take the whole cage, strap it to the passenger seat and wonder, as I careen down Prospect Peremohy to the Vet, what would happen if the airbag went off? Now the Vet is on Saksanskoho, but the only problem is that Saksahanskoho is one big dug out pit from the train station intersection all the way to Horkoho St. So here I am, after 10pm, marching down Saksanskoho with our hamster cage in search of the Vet. The hamsters loved their little city stroll. I had never been to a Vet and didn’t know what to expect. The service was excellent. I don’t know if I agree with the treatment, which consisted of five injections, but I have no basis for knocking it either. The following day, Ola and kids took her in and she received five followup shots. It’s been a week now and the hamster is still running around and looking good. So if you ever have hamster trouble in Kyiv call: 289-7744 Fauna Servis

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now that is what I call a great daddy. I will not ask how much that little trip cost you. To a great daddy it doesnt matter..

Anonymous said...

Hi, my hamster escaped during last night.. I found him this morning underneath kitchen units. He too had been eating Katlin (mouse/rat poison),
I took him to the vet this morning and he said he cant give him an injection as the poison makes his blood thin, so he gave me medicine to give the hamster twice a day for a few weeks (if he pulls through).
I have given him it twice today, and *touch wood* he is still ok (ish,,, just a bit quiet) and it has been over 16 hours now since we found him. I am too scared to go to bed, as I dont want to find him dead in the morning and it is now turned 2am. Fingers crossed ey :o/