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Old 04-03-2012, 06:02 PM  
Hamtastic
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Default Re: Chronic Kidney Disease / Chronic Renal Failure: diagnosis, "treatment" options

Guidelines
  • Low protein, but not too low! (around 10-12% seems good to maintain muscle mass and energy level)
    Main sources of protein will be boiled grains (low in phosphorus), a bit of hard-boiled egg white (no yolk, as it is high in phosphorus) once a week.
  • Vegetables and fruit are good! Fresh and added to a soup or porridge. They contain good vitamins and minerals. For example, small pieces of banana, and dried raisins and papaya soaked in water (so that they are not too sticky and chewy and don’t get stuck in a hamster’s pouch).
  • Boiling foods and discarding the resulting broth dramatically reduces phosphorus and sodium content. Therefore, soups are a good way to feed and hydrate a hamster with CKD.
  • Supplemental potassium and omega-3 are helpful for a hamster with CKD. Flax oil, which can be purchased in a health food store, is excellent at providing very high amounts of all omega fatty acids in concentrated form while being a delicious treat. (health food stores carry various kinds of bottled Flax Oil).
  • There are food pellets developed for other animals with CKD, such as dogs, which are suitable for hamsters. Hills Prescription Diet k/d pellets are a good supplemental food for an all-in-one nutritional choice as well as providing means for grinding down ever-growing hamster teeth. (Whole or lightly cracked walnuts in the shell are also great for that purpose.)
  • Puffed (plain, unsweetened, unseasoned) grains, such as millet, rice, and corn, are good to keep available to crunch on at all times. (Whole Foods stores carry all three kinds).
  • Fresh water should be available at all times. Mixing water with unflavored Pedialyte electrolyte solution could be helpful, but there are also cheaper bulk Oral Rehydration salt powders available on-line for convenient mixing at home at lower prices, as liquid Pedialyte spoils quickly after opening. Subcutaneous fluid injections might become necessary at advanced stages of CKD, if an owner opts to try them.
    (Edited to add: this is something I have not had to do yet, as my Lucy has been fine with water from soups and her bottle. I would also do a thorough research on correct osmolarity before offering custom-mixed electrolyte solutions.)
  • Additional measures to explore: subcutaneous fluid injections and phosphorus binders.
  • Health checks are important: check your hamster’s teeth for overgrowing while on soft foods, check for dehydration.
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Last edited by Hamtastic; 03-23-2013 at 11:26 AM.
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