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Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 25, 2008 0:55:11 GMT -4
22% may be high enough to cause kidney concerns. With gerbs 14% is plenty unless nursing, and even then it never reaches 20. I think hams are normally slightly higher, but a steady diet of 22%. >> Dried Beet Pulp << That is the only ingredient that seems unusual. Never saw it before.
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Post by pinky on Apr 25, 2008 18:05:29 GMT -4
You raise an interesting concern. The bag does say, "complete diet." I'll have to research this.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 25, 2008 19:53:59 GMT -4
Get back to us, please.
It is not all THAT much higher, 22%, than the preferred hamster norm, but still I'd look into it further.
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Post by pinky on Apr 30, 2008 23:01:10 GMT -4
Update on Fuzz Anthony: He wasn't getting better on the Baytril. Yesterday the eye looked as bad as it had when we went to the vet last week. The vet we'd been seeing was out, so I spoke to the other exotics vet on the phone and then brought Fuzz in. Her diagnosis is Horner's syndrome (hamster version). www.healthscout.com/ency/68/488/main.htmlThe ear problem probably precipitated it. She thinks it may reverse itself spontaneously, but only time will tell. He is not contagious, so I can stop scrubbing everything and everyone (!) that comes in contact with him. So hopefully he'll do better with time. She said to keep him on the Metacam every day. I do have to say that his back is much flatter (not humped) these days again, even though he hasn't been real peppy, maybe because of the eye. She said, "Best hamster I've ever handled. By now I expected to have holes in my hands." I said two things: "You said the same thing about Pinky three years ago!" "He WOULD bite you, but he can't!" ;D Oh, she had no issue with Mazuri as a principal diet, but she gave me some interesting ideas for other foods.
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Post by Hamsters82 on May 1, 2008 17:28:15 GMT -4
That was interesting to read, but it sounds like it hurts. So that is good that Fuzz is on medication. I'm guessing he has to stay on this medication his whole life?
Chewie hopes his little friend gets better and so do I.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 1, 2008 19:07:10 GMT -4
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Post by pinky on May 1, 2008 22:01:15 GMT -4
That was interesting to read, but it sounds like it hurts. So that is good that Fuzz is on medication. I'm guessing he has to stay on this medication his whole life? Chewie hopes his little friend gets better and so do I. Well, right now he is on Baytril (antibiotic) and Metacam (anti-inflammatory). He was put on the Baytril at the first visit, went off of it, then came down with the eye business and was put back on it because it seemed like an infection. This vet thought it'd be worth keeping him on it for another two weeks--and then I am to call her. He was put on the Metacam at the first visit when I commented that he was running "like an old hamster"--back hunched, and kind of jumping rather than running. The vet suspected arthritis. This is what he will be on for the rest of his life, every day. I can see a big difference. Yesterday he was pretty speedy, and his back was pretty flat. When I get time I am going to try freezing baby food portions for him as an alternative to mashed fresh stuff. She recommended apples and carrots. Not something we humans would naturally eat together, but it doesn't sound terrible either.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 1, 2008 22:46:16 GMT -4
You both are lucky you have knowledgeable vets. The vets I have seen would have trouble sexing a hamster.
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Post by pinky on May 2, 2008 15:23:52 GMT -4
Yes, there are two exotics vets at this practice. Unusual. Of course I'm paying for their expertise. I've spent 20 times Fuzz Anthony's purchase price on his care. But he's worth it. I feel sorry for kids whose parents say "it's just a hamster" and won't take him/her to the vet. Of course, as you point out, DF, the vet has to be able to do the hamster some good!
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 2, 2008 18:44:18 GMT -4
The story of Princess should be well known. Suffice it to say when I took her to the emergency vet who claimed to know hamsters she could not sex her. "Are you sure she is a female?". But she was caring, and looked up some information, and gave the dehydrated ham a subcutaneous shot,a and I got the Baytril I wanted. As Princess was a rescue there was no purchase price. She is in the memorial gallery in my signature for those who want info. Don't get me started on vets. Do a board search for "Makeeda". Another well-known story.
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Post by pinky on May 5, 2008 20:03:51 GMT -4
I wish I could stop needing to post in this thread. . . I noticed that Fuzz Anthony didn't seem to be closing his mouth all the way. When I scruffed him I saw this: !! // Exclamation points are top incisors; slashes are bottom incisors. The edges of the top ones were meeting up with the SIDE of one of the lower ones, because the lower ones were bent at a 30 degree angle or so. Ugh. Another vet visit. Poor Fuzz.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 5, 2008 20:09:42 GMT -4
If he is on soft food permanently does he need incisors?? Could they be SAFELY extracted? It is not so bad--I gave up steamed veggies long ago!
Best to Fuzz.
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Post by pinky on May 5, 2008 20:14:40 GMT -4
Apparently extraction is not an option. I was indeed thinking that a hamster with no incisors would be better than one with his condition. You gave up steamed veggies? But aren't they soft?? What am I missing here?
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 5, 2008 20:28:26 GMT -4
The steamed veggies we get from the Chinese food places is one step removed from raw!
I actually eat veggies such as broccoli by chopping it up as needed, and adding water, and then using a hand blender to turn it into a sludge. And down it goes! It is quicker that way. It is more a matter of convenience and taste rather than teeth! ;D
Extraction is not an option because of. . .??
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Post by pinky on May 6, 2008 15:55:19 GMT -4
So wait--you can't eat, say, raw broccoli because of your teeth. But you could eat it cooked. You opt, however, to turn it into a mash rather than eating the stalks. Is all of this correct?
Send a little of that broccoli mash south to NJ--Fuzz would snarf it right up! ;D
Another tooth trim--very short. One tooth actually broke off below the gum, so there was a little blood. Hopefully he will be good for a few weeks. This is the only recourse: regular trims. There's a chance of messing up the jaw if the teeth were to be extracted.
So that's the plan: regular trims. He has to be anesthetized each time, so that's $40 right there.
Well, it is what it is.
Otherwise the vet thought he was doing fine.
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