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Old 12-05-2015, 12:06 PM   #1
zany_toon
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Default Could it be diabetes?

Hello!!
I have a little dwarf hybrid ham (Flump) who has started developing abscesses around his scent gland and regularly gets penile plugs. Is it possible that these could be related to diabetes? Flump does tend to drink more than the hybrids I've had previously which I know is one of the signs and this has only started in the last few weeks. My vet is unsure, and although I have keto diastix to test for diabetes, I'm really not sure what readings I should be looking for Flump seems okay in himself but these abscesses are getting bigger and I don't want him to be uncomfortable Any advice is greatly received, as is any input on what I should be looking for on the diastix!! Thanks everyone!
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Old 12-06-2015, 12:07 AM   #2
cypher
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Default Re: Could it be diabetes?

There's only one way to know for sure, the directions on the diastix box are fairly clear, if you can get some fresh urine to test & compare the strip with the guide look at glucose & ketones.
If you can get him to pee at the vets or take a fresh sample in they should be able to do the test for you if you aren't confident doing it yourself.
Is he having treatment for the abscesses? If he's been on antibiotics that could change his eating & drinking as they do tend to upset the digestion a bit & it can help to give some probiotics, those can also give his immune system a bit of a boost generally so it might be worth considering if you haven't already.
Vectis has a helpful page on diabetes in hams here which might be worth you reading.
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Old 12-06-2015, 02:20 AM   #3
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Default Re: Could it be diabetes?

Sorry to hear wee Flump isn`t doing so good zany. I only saw penile plugs in older male mice personally but generally, they could be forming due to semen production or a build up forming in the open. I had an article on this a while back and I`m trying to remember what it said.....

The abscesses don`t sound good though, poor lad. A diabetic hamster will all but empty a small water bottle, so if he`s not drinking excessively and you can use the test strips to monitor his urine (not easy) I would say it`s more likely to be something else. Is his scent gland mucky at all or are these abscesses more likely to be small scent gland tumours? These can be surgically removed, but obviously, Flump`s overall health needs to be good for that to happen.

Flump is so much like Chubs in appearance and I know you went out of your way to adopt him from a member on here earlier this year. It`s a shame he`s developed these symptoms. x
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Old 12-08-2015, 06:04 PM   #4
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Default Re: Could it be diabetes?

Thanks both for the replies, and I'm sorry I didn't reply in turn sooner!

Cypher - Flump isn't on antibiotics at present as I have opted to draw the abscesses out with a hot compress. Flump isn't impressed but it seems to be helping clear them away once they have burst and been cleaned out. I will try doin as you suggested and take a fresh sample of wee up to the vets for them to look at as although I can easily figure out how to use the diagnostic tabs I am not sure what readings would indicate that he definitely has diabetes or not I hadn't even given probiotics a thought so I will get Flump started on them anyway as I'm sure a little immune system boost will be helpful to him, and I will also check out Vectis' website - thank you

RM, if you remember what you read in that article please let me know as Laura the vet was struggling to find anything relating to articles or studies on the dwarf hamsters. As for his scent gland it does seem a bit mucky, but given where the abscesses are my assumption is that some of them are bursting into the scent gland as there is hardly any distance between them. It doesn't appear to be tumours as they don't feel hard like a tumour. It is a shame that he has developed this, especially as I was just getting him to the stage that i could pick him up!! We're back to using a glove for pick ups but once he is out his cage and I'm finished sorting him out he will still let me stroke him, so at least I'm not back to square one. I will need to post photos of him once he is set up in his new cage
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Old 12-09-2015, 02:17 AM   #5
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Default Re: Could it be diabetes?

I`m sure the article on mouse penile plugs (if memory serves me well) was related to the male mouse, ehem....being too amorous and the plugs forming hard on the outside, preventing urine flow and causing back up. But if Flump is managing to pee okay, that`s good.

The abscesses are baffling really but maybe reduce cage cleans and he may not feel the need to scent more? I only ever spot clean Chubs areas and find it helps prevent a hamster from feeling the need to re-mark his territory, so therefor, not using his tummy to secrete. This may or may not help, but it`s worth eliminating. x
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Old 12-09-2015, 08:24 AM   #6
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Default Re: Could it be diabetes?

Found this but will post more info if and when I find anything vet related. This is from a hamster site:
The penile plugs are likely to be an accumulation or over produced semen that turns hard when exposed to air. Your quite right to make the connection with urine/diabetes though just to be safe. x
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Old 12-09-2015, 03:55 PM   #7
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Default Re: Could it be diabetes?

Thanks RM, that was interesting. I'd always wondered about them, as I know in my mice it's something that they ended up with in old age so it seems there is quite a difference between them and hamsters!

Flump's sticky scent gland is proving to be a problem. I cleaned it out tonight and found that there some of the seeds from Flump's dinner stuck in it I'm wondering if they may be contributing to the abscesses? He is spot cleaned at the moment with a full cage clean being done once a month (spot cleaning every few days around the food bowl, toilet area and bed area) so I can't imagine it being caused by him over marking his territory
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Old 12-09-2015, 11:19 PM   #8
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Default Re: Could it be diabetes?

I wouldn't have thought the scent gland & abscesses would be related, my elderly boy needs his scent gland cleaning now & then it just seems to be something that happens with them if they don't clean it up properly themselves.
I doubt you'll really get the abscesses under control without antibiotics to be honest then somehow you need to try to figure out what may be causing them so you can hopefully prevent a recurrence.
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Old 12-10-2015, 03:51 AM   #9
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Default Re: Could it be diabetes?

I only ever had problems with gerbil scent glands but happily, not with any of the hamsters I`ve had. As I say, I never do full cage cleans and Chubs pees wherever he likes but I usually smell and feel his bed area regularly and replace & replenish when necessary.

Did you notice if Flump had any issues when you adopted him zany? Or was his tummy clean at the time or has this just occurred recently? Food sticking to it may be due to the secretion in that area and he`s been sat in his dish or rubbed himself over some seeds and the gland has picked them up?

I agree that keeping the area clean as best you can and try antibiotics if kallan feels it`s necessary, but I`m thinking if they are small abscesses, they would be better lanced (under a whiff of gas) and removed to determine what they actually are? I suppose it depends a lot on how Flump is coping and whether you personally feel doing so would be a help or a hindrance. x
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Old 12-14-2015, 04:38 PM   #10
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Default Re: Could it be diabetes?

Sorry again for the delay!!

Well Flump is now on antibiotics, and I've also managed to test him for diabetes. I'm surprised but he's not showing as being diabetic - I've checked twice and compared his readings to my other hams as a friend on another forum suggested. So I'm as wise as ever, but I'm hoping that I can get the abscesses under control. They had all but gone in the last few days but I noticed three more under his skin tonight again I have had mice with this before and it turned out later on that they were being caused by a tumour, I'm just hoping it's not the case for Flump
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