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Old 04-03-2012, 06:05 PM  
Hamtastic
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Default Re: Chronic Kidney Disease / Chronic Renal Failure: diagnosis, "treatment" options

Testimonials and Advice

“My CRF hamsters have been around 16-20 months at diagnosis, and as they’ve passed the 2-year mark, I’ve held at about 10-12% of calories from protein so long as they’re retaining muscle mass and activity levels. Some just need more. It’s those middle months that are a guessing game.
Working out the lowest nitrogen proteins a CKD hamster likes will help too. High BUN levels make them miserable, so if your hamster gets crabby but seems well hydrated, you might try changing protein and backing off the level a bit to see if that sets things right for it within a few days.”


“I’ve always had the best luck keeping as much variety as possible, even if it’s just rotating ingredients in and out of the soup over a couple days at a time. Remember appetite is the key. Also, when making blends, they focus on bitter and sweet flavors. I try to keep these as guidelines for separate dishes. I wouldn’t mix bitter broccoli and sweet raisins, for example, as those wouldn’t be as palatable to them together as separately. Grains are fine with either, of course.
Also, keep a good eye on your hamster’s incisors as it’s transitioning to more of a wet diet. Make sure it’s chewing enough to keep the teeth trim. I’ve had great luck with hazelnuts in the shell, especially if I crack it just enough for them to sense the food inside.”

“Moisture in foods is going to help at all stages. In the early stages, the ham may drink so much that it doesn’t get enough calories, as there just isn’t room to take in everything necessary. In the later stages, they don’t take in enough fluids, but can still be enticed by yummy foods, so we have to make sure food delivers water. I wouldn’t feed dehydrated/flaked foods over fresh ones, or dry grains in favor of cooked ones – especially if you’ve seen weight loss.

Check your hamster often by pinch-test for hydration, and if it becomes chronically dehydrated in a way you can’t manage by encouraging it with enticing drink and wet food, then talk to your vet about subcutaneous fluids. It’s not difficult or expensive. You can order Ringer’s online with a prescription and get the best price from a reliable vendor. Some stores have good prices on ReliOn syringes. I’d guess you could do it for around $30/month.

Pedialyte is not inherently better than other electrolyte formulas. It’s just the one I use with sick and diabetic hams, and always have on hand. I’ve tried others, and still keep going back to Pedialyte. Mostly that’s just a sense of how it’s performed for hundreds of hams in a variety of situations – not the same choice you’re making.

For a CRF ham, I’d provide two bottles in the cage – one with plain water and one with a 50/50 mixture of unflavored Pedialyte and water. I keep both fresh, and pay attention to which the ham seeks out most often given the constant choice. If it’s drinking a great deal of Pedialyte and no plain water, I sometimes cut the Pedialyte to 1/4 strength. If it’s not drinking much of either, I add a couple drops of apple juice or other favorite flavor to each bottle. Sometimes that helps them regain an interest.

As for a mix, it hasn’t been a big consideration here, because once baby cereal [note: baby cereal is generally not low in phosphorus] or hamster soup are available 24/7, their interest in plain old mix wanes fast. I pull out the dried corn (which I do for diabetics anyway), and leave them a bit of their regular mix, because again, appetite is the most important thing to protect, and sometimes they just want what they like.

Hamster soup is a lifesaver in all kinds of situations. Here’s my basic explanation, but you’ll withhold the proteins, or use them for flavor and remove before serving:

'I make soup for diabetics or sick or old hamsters. You can make it in a baby food or other tiny jar. Put in a couple teaspoons of uncooked grains or cooked pasta. Add 2-4 times as much water as you did grains. Then stir in some chopped vegetables and cooked chicken or turkey or fish. Add bits of veggies he likes. Microwave it till the grains are chewy. Put some in a little dish to cool for now, and put the lid on the jar to save the rest in the fridge for the next couple days. You can serve it cool on a hot day, or warm on a cold day, or at room temperature anytime.'

I give fruits raw and veggies lightly steamed or stewed in soup. Dense or dried fruits like raisins can be steamed also. You’ll see what your hamster prefers, and you really can’t do it wrong.“


***
“Unfortunately kidney failure is a progressive and incurable condition. It can be caused by an episode of dehydration but is more often age related and due to the chemical amyloid being deposited in the 'working units' of the kidney rendering them unable to function. There is a fine balance between restricting protein in the diet and not giving enough protein. A hamster cannot survive without a certain amount of protein and will start to break down body mass to provide essential amino acids if it does not get them from the diet. The protein also needs to be the correct type.

Some animals respond to anabolic steroids to prevent the body breaking down proteins and straining the kidneys but I think myself that injecting a hamster with these would be painful and I don't think worth this pain just to extend its life by a little while.

Some lines do age much more rapidly than others so a year old in one hamster may be middle age whereas in another it is very old. Their body clocks do seem to tick at different speeds.

Increase your hamster’s complex carbohydrates with foods such as puffed rice, cooked rice, porridge and feed a tiny amount of cooked egg white (albumin) once a week or so as this is an essential protein. The addition of B vitamins may help and a sprinkle of debittered brewers yeast from a health food store in its porridge or rice will help too or you could use a multivitamin in its water if it contains B vitamins.”
***

“Milk Thistle seeds are good for kidney problems, try to find some of them.”

“Here we use a product called Nutrical for poorly rats and hamsters. Low protein but lots of energy and vitamins to keep them going whilst they get the weight back on. It comes in a tube, squeeze a blob onto your finger and they lick it off. It is very palatable. It might help a little until you can sort your hamster’s diet.”
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Last edited by souffle; 04-04-2012 at 02:06 PM.
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