Re: Diabetes and life expectancy

[Gary]

Not quite what this threads about, I know, but whats the life expectancy of a campbell hybrid with what appears to be severe diabetes?

Thanks in advance

[TheFeldhamster]

Depends on how severe - what are his readings on the keto-diastix? On how young he was when he developed diabetes and how good his diet and medication is.

My first diabetic died 13.5 months old - she had diabetes from very young, had an excellent diet (I mix my own food), got fenugreek seeds and I treated her with glipizides from an age of about 5months old.

A friend's diabetic was a rescue, she got him when he was 2-3months old, already diabetic, and he made it to only 5 or 6 months of age. When she had him he got a good diet and fenugreek seeds - before she adopted him he got a commercial mix.

My current diabetic who had it from early on is now 15months old - gets a self mixed diet, fenugreek seeds and glipizides. I hope he'll make it for a while longer.


If the hamster is a late-onset diabetic - older than ~5 months before the diabetes develops - then there is a good chance to treat him with glipizides. Late-onset diabetics with this treatment can reach a normal lifespan.

[Gary]

Thanks for your reply. Sadly Coco died yesterday - she was 5 - 6 months old I think. Unfortunately those testing strips you speak of are not readily available in this country (UK) and so I was only able to remove obvious sugar sources from her diet by way of treatment. When I took her to the vet a couple of weeks ago I was informed that she was too wee for testing and treatment and that therefore diet was the only thing I could do. Its very sad and I'm having a hard time convincing my wife that she didn't die because we didn't treat her properly. :sad:

[KatiePillow]

You didn't, diabetes in hamsters is hard to treat, :( I'm really sorry for your loss.

On the subject of treatment, some vets in the UK will perscribe glipizide to hamsters, but I think some don't like risking things like that. Hopefully you'll not have to experience it again :(

[Lynternette]

I'm sorry to hear about Coco. I had three Campbells. Two lived to old age with no diabetes but the littlest developed it. The vet prescribed Baytrill for the soreness where she scratched and I monitored her food closely. She was thirteen months old when she died. Campbells have a tendancy to diabetes. Some get it and some don't. I'm diabetic and so are 50% of my family so I knew it wasn't my fault. Please assure your wife that it wasn't her fault either. Like people, some contract it and some don't. You do your best and that's all you can do. I do hope she can come to terms with this and be able to love a new furbaby.

[TheFeldhamster]

I'm sorry to hear this. Since she developed the diabetes when she was still young it's pretty certain it was type 1 and that is genetic, not due to bad feeding. Type 1 in hamsters is more or less impossible to treat. Glipizide will only really work with type 2 because it pushes the pancreas to produce more insulin. But in type 1 the pancreas is (to put it in lay terms) "broken" due to a genetic defect and can't produce enough insulin even if you push it.

So don't beat yourself up - there's really nothing that you could have done. Sending you hugs. Rest in peace, little Coco.