Diabetic 12 week old Campbells

Stardust79 · 01-04-2018, 09:04 AM

I have posted a few weeks ago over my new little one who was drinking up to 10 grams of water a day. She has tested positive with 2000 glucose but zero ketones. I have put her on a diabetic diet, a friend of mine is a breeder and told me what to feed her. I phoned my vet today and told them, and asked if she needed medication. My vet's patronised me, asked me if I was qualified, that I cannot diagnose diabetes on a human urine stick and that she sounds very ill and needs to be seen ASAP for a blood test, as only a blood test can diagnose diabetes. They patronised me before when Cookie was ill, and I gave her medication on a tiny bit of hard boiled egg, the woman on the phone had a go at me for feeding her egg as egg was not hamster food and it was dangerous. My vet is useless with hamsters, she is frightened of them, she gets confused with dosing and medications and I have no confidence in her.

So Belle's urine read 2++++ glucose on the test on 2 separate samples. She is now on a mix of mixed millet, hemp seed, linseed, pinhead oatmeal, mealworms and a teaspoon of veggies per day. Is that an okay diet? Does she need small amounts of sugar in her diet?

Currently she is gaining weight, she is drinking lots, urinating lots and eating lots. She hasn't been very active this week, though last night she did actually run on her wheel quite a lot for the first time in 3 days. She has only just started on this new diet a day ago.
I was a little concerned by what seems to be her urinating in her food bowl, she tends to fall asleep in the bowl, then her food is wet.

In the UK, do they prescribe diabetic medicine to hamsters? Obviously I want to do everything I can to get her diabetes under control, I just want to be armed with info when I take her to the vet, because my vets don't seem to like medicating hamsters.

She is so young! I will happily pay for medication if she needs it. But does anyone know if diet alone controls diabetes in hamsters or is it best to also put them on medication?

cypher · 01-04-2018, 09:13 AM

Hamsters with diabetes aren't usually given medication, you do need to keep testing urine samples & treat adapt her diet accordingly as both glucose & ketone levels will vary.
Have you read this thread, there's some very helpful info there.
So you think your hamster is diabetic
Vectis also has some good info on her website here.
Vectis Hamstery and Exotics - Diabetes in Hamsters

Stardust79 · 01-04-2018, 10:39 AM

Thank you. I have read both of those. I think I have read everything on diabetic Campbells over the past week.
I am basically being told by a 21 year old vet receptionist that you cannot diagnose diabetes with human test kits! Glucose levels are glucose levels, whether it's in humans, dogs, cats or hamsters. The test picked it up, I even used on on myself, which was negative, just to be sure that the test was accurate. But they are insisting I rush her to the vets tonight or tomorrow as she sounds very unwell. She has just been eating and on her wheel! No I am not a qualified vet, but after keeping hamsters for 20 years, I have enough knowledge to know if my pet is sick or not. She isn't actually unwell.

Stardust79 · 01-04-2018, 11:05 AM

Vet receptionist just told me that I may think I know what I am talking about, but I don't. And the fact that my hamster is so small and is drinking a lot, is dehydrated and it's dangerous. I said I will bring her in next week, but cannot until then, she isn't unwell. She put the phone down on me!!! I actually don't want to go back to that vet now. If I thought my pet was sick, she would be straight down to the vet. She is not!

cypher · 01-04-2018, 11:20 AM

Have you had a look through the vet finder thread?
Good vets finder
You might find a good vet in your area there, there are members on here in London with some good vets so if you give your location someone may be able to recommend one.

Stardust79 · 01-04-2018, 11:45 AM

I have booked her in with a new vet for Tuesday. They are known to be expensive, but they are pretty good and thorough up there, as we used to use them. My current vet is scared of hamsters, wont hold them, there is only her there, she gave me the incorrect information when Cookie had wet tail, she told me to mix antibiotics with probitics both together in her water, then she spent 5 minutes saying she wasn't sure if she had given me the right dosage, before saying it should be ok, I think...I do not have confidence in her whatsoever! So time for a new vet, especially after being spoken to so rudely. This vet is Wingrave, which is a company, they have many surgeries around Surrey/London. I shall see how I get on with them on Tuesday.

Stardust79 · 01-14-2018, 03:17 PM

So I took Belle to the vets Friday, as new vet. Her glucose has been 2++++ since I first tested her, 10 days after I got her. Ketones have always been zero. I was trying to control it with diet, but no luck, or maybe I was expecting results too fast. Anyway she was drinking 20 grams of water per day and her sand pit had multiple large wet spots and I was cleaning it twice a day. Then early this week she wasn't drinking much at all, 1-2 grams of water. Is this correct for a hamster? Then she became very hyper and was acting odd, kicking up her cage, digging in one spot for 2 hours at a time and pouching all food.
Vet says ketostix are for humans not hamsters, that isn't a way to test a hamster for diabetes, he didn't fob me off, he said it could be, but he was swaying more that she has a urine infection not diabetes. He said her kidneys were slightly bigger than they should be. Put her on Baytril for a week, then said if she hasn't improved then she would have to be put to sleep as there is no other treatment. I don't want this, but I would not let her suffer. I honestly don't know if her behaviour is of concern or not. I have never dealt with this before, or maybe I have seen it, but taken no notice in other hams as they weren't sick. So 2 days on Baytril, her glucose was pretty much negative, but small amount of ketones. Behaviour is now today sleeping lots, after a night of constant chewing and kicking the cage up. She is using her wheel, she isn't drinking much, I have put pro c in her water as of last night. My mum looks at her and see's nothing wrong with her, and says I am focusing on things that are not there. I don't know! She is active, she is eating, but she is doing random things like leaping off of things and looks confused at times. I do not want to have her put to sleep if she has a chance, but if I feel she is suffering and has no quality of life, then I will let her go. But where we are right now, I cannot say it's the end for her, as she is very active Just concerned she isn't drinking enough.

cypher · 01-14-2018, 10:52 PM

How much they drink will depend on diet to some extent, if she has any veg then she will drink less, normally they drink up to about 5ml but it can be less.
If she's drinking a little & still active then the water consumption probably isn't an issue, if she were dehydrated she would soon show signs of being unwell.

Just a suggestion but it would be helpful if you just kept one thread & updated it as it's easier to follow what's going on like that rather than having lots of related threads.

Stardust79 · 01-15-2018, 08:57 AM

I have seen her drink twice now. She has a diet with cucumber and broccoli, so she is getting water from those. She seems fine. I weighed her today, her weight is 50 grams. I believe she's improving. I hope she is.
Yes. Sorry. I will stick to this thread now.

souffle · 01-15-2018, 02:27 PM

I'm glad to hear she seems to be improving

I have merged two of your thread together so we can keep track on this thread on her progress