Post by pinky on Mar 31, 2013 11:50:07 GMT -4
Greetings all,
Thought I'd post an update thread about Mable and her ongoing health issues.
Mable at her present age of 20 months:
History: Mable had a left eye bleed and later rupture at just over a year of age, had a mammary tumor removed at almost age 14 months, and was spayed (to eliminate diseased uterus and ovary) at just under 18 months. Pathology on the tissues showed cancer with significant potential for metastasis. She had been showing high urine glucose on and off throughout her life with me, but because the diabetic condition was intermittent she couldn't be treated.
Where we are now: let's start with the right eye. You can see in this picture that it looks fine.
But one day a few weeks ago I caught sight of a change:
The dark rim and later overall darkening said to me that she had had a second internal bleed. Are all her eye troubles stemming from the diabetes? Could be. Is she blind now? I'm not sure. Dr. Applegate hasn't seen her himself since this happened, but we discussed the idea over the phone and he said that thanks to the nose and whiskers she could be able to navigate as well as a sighted hamster and fool us all into thinking that she's sighted.
On to diabetes: for the two months following her spay she consistently showed 250+ mg/dL glucose in her urine, and I was all ready to discuss opening that bottle of glipizide with Dr. A. And then. . . no glucose, and again, and again. Bottom line: there's no good way to manage this. It literally does come and go.
I have read that hams with diabetes have nails that grow fast/thick. Fast/thick is certainly true for Mable. Every few weeks she has to go to the vet for a trim. She's too feisty for me to do it myself.
Finally tumors: I don't see anything new externally on her; however, what concerns me is that of late she weighs a consistent 45-46 grams, yet she looks trim, with no fat around the neck/shoulders. She's never been anything but 37-41 grams her entire life. She doesn't show signs of bloating, either.
Behavior: after the spay she went right back to being crazy Mable.
Lately, though, I see her slowing down, sleeping more, and doing that aging ham thing where she sleeps in random open places in her cage rather than burrowing into a nest.
(that's her to the right of the toilet paper tube)
I can't be sure if it's age, something growing within, being blind, all of the above? Personality-wise, she's her feisty self but not inordinately grumpy/bitey, which is good. Appetite is ok. All other systems are fine. She's silvered quite a bit on her lower back, and that's expected for a dove hamster, but she is still as beautiful of a girl as when she came to me with two huge healthy glowing eyes 15 months ago.
Thought I'd post an update thread about Mable and her ongoing health issues.
Mable at her present age of 20 months:
History: Mable had a left eye bleed and later rupture at just over a year of age, had a mammary tumor removed at almost age 14 months, and was spayed (to eliminate diseased uterus and ovary) at just under 18 months. Pathology on the tissues showed cancer with significant potential for metastasis. She had been showing high urine glucose on and off throughout her life with me, but because the diabetic condition was intermittent she couldn't be treated.
Where we are now: let's start with the right eye. You can see in this picture that it looks fine.
But one day a few weeks ago I caught sight of a change:
The dark rim and later overall darkening said to me that she had had a second internal bleed. Are all her eye troubles stemming from the diabetes? Could be. Is she blind now? I'm not sure. Dr. Applegate hasn't seen her himself since this happened, but we discussed the idea over the phone and he said that thanks to the nose and whiskers she could be able to navigate as well as a sighted hamster and fool us all into thinking that she's sighted.
On to diabetes: for the two months following her spay she consistently showed 250+ mg/dL glucose in her urine, and I was all ready to discuss opening that bottle of glipizide with Dr. A. And then. . . no glucose, and again, and again. Bottom line: there's no good way to manage this. It literally does come and go.
I have read that hams with diabetes have nails that grow fast/thick. Fast/thick is certainly true for Mable. Every few weeks she has to go to the vet for a trim. She's too feisty for me to do it myself.
Finally tumors: I don't see anything new externally on her; however, what concerns me is that of late she weighs a consistent 45-46 grams, yet she looks trim, with no fat around the neck/shoulders. She's never been anything but 37-41 grams her entire life. She doesn't show signs of bloating, either.
Behavior: after the spay she went right back to being crazy Mable.
Lately, though, I see her slowing down, sleeping more, and doing that aging ham thing where she sleeps in random open places in her cage rather than burrowing into a nest.
(that's her to the right of the toilet paper tube)
I can't be sure if it's age, something growing within, being blind, all of the above? Personality-wise, she's her feisty self but not inordinately grumpy/bitey, which is good. Appetite is ok. All other systems are fine. She's silvered quite a bit on her lower back, and that's expected for a dove hamster, but she is still as beautiful of a girl as when she came to me with two huge healthy glowing eyes 15 months ago.