[Pebbles82]

After our last Syrian Charlie, was diagnosed with Cushings disease towards the end of his life (still not sure if the diagnosis was correct but he did end up having to be helped on his way), I wanted to see if diet could be a factor there as I was aware most hamster mixes are hugely soya based, for the protein, and thought maybe too much of that may be a factor. Our current hamsters have had completely non soya based diets, but I really don't think it makes a lot of difference. Diet and protein levels can affect general condition and fur condition but that's about it I think. Cushings isn't supposed to be that common in hamsters either.

Having said all that, there was some suggestion (but you can't believe everything you read on the internet) that soya could cause infertility in rodents. Now if that was true hamsters wouldn't be breeding like they are! But it could be one factor that affects the reproductive organs - but it wouldn't cause infection.

It is just nature I think. And a female thing. Thousands or millions of women have reproductive organ complications -ectopic pregnancies, eclampsia, etc - some from birth defects, some from just unknown reasons.

Don't let it put you off. There are many female hamsters who have never had pyometra. SKB has had many female syrian hamsters, and so have others on here. It is one factor in female hamsters, but not in all female hamsters. With boys it can be other things - and both sexes can get prolapses or impacted pouches and other things.

We just do our best to care for them and treat them in sickness and in health xxx