Old-Age?

Question
This is my fourth hamster I have ever owned, and it is a creme-colored Syrian. I will have had her for two years in February, but I bought her when she was 8 months old, so she is a little over two years old now. My parents have said that that is quite old for a hamster. Recently I changed it's small cage to a bigger, plastic box cage. Soon after that it began to have diarrhea. At first, I believed it was wet tail, because my first hamster had died of wet tail and it looked similar. A little while after the diarrhea began, I noticed her left eye became shut to the point where she could barely open it because there was so much gooky and slimy stuff around it. She is still eating and drinking, though, from the looks of it, but not nearly as much. She has had diarrhea for about a week now, and I took her to the vet yesterday, after pleading with my parents. The vet gave me some medicine for her that she should take twice a day, but they said that it may not have any effect at all. The vet also had to file down one of its bottom teeth because it had become so long it would hit the roof of her mouth when she ate. She believed that that may have been a problem with her not eating as much. She also washed her eyes with warm water, and she said that the reason why her eye was like that was because she was getting old and her muscles couldn't open her eye quite as well.. Her fur is also unclean, because she never cleans herself anymore. I realize that this could possibly be the end of it.. And she is too old to go on. The first time I gave her her medicine, she took it willingly. Now it's more of a struggle. This morning was her third dose, and she wasn't cooperating, but I was able to complete the task. I cleaned off her bottom with warm water and held her for a couple moments. Usually she is very active and loves to run around on my arms and hands, but all she did was sit there in my hands, which really surprised me.. In a bad way, of course. She seemed like she was falling asleep in my hands.. Other things I have noticed that she is doing that are unusual are; not sleeping in her usual bedding, going to the corner of her cage and rocking back and forth, also, when she walks around she stumbles and falls quite often.
I am not positive that all of this is from old age, so that's why I wanted to ask. Could this be from old age? Or is she just ill?

Answer
Jessica, I'm sorry your little hammy is sick.  This does in fact seem to be wet tail so I'm assuming the meds the vet gave you are for that.  Usually wet tail is treated the most successfully immediately after symptoms start but it might not be too late.  I understand giving her the meds are hard on you and her, but try to stick with it.  The symptoms you are describing sound a lot like dehydration.  If you have any hammy vitamins you should give the dose as directed.  If there are things she LOVES to eat, give them to her unless they cause diarrhea and then only sparingly.  It sounds like her slow down of nutrition has caused the falling, weakness, etc.  It sounds like you are doing everything possible for her.. and it sounds like if these other symptoms started AFTER the wet tail they are likely NOT from old age.  I commend you on the excellent care and just remember that the max life expectancy average is 4 years.  Keep doing what your doing and let me know how she's doing.