F
Frida
Happy birthday Button 
Button
- Thread starter ilguy
- Start date
M
Member ID2
Happy Birthday Button!
I hope you'll enjoy your lovely cake.
I hope you'll enjoy your lovely cake.
R
RainbowBrite
Happy birthday Button! The cake you made looks amazing! It is so lovely to hear how settled he is now. Your lovely patient manner has enabled him to feel confident. 
- Messages
- 19,072
- Reaction score
- 36,084
- Points
- 1,373
Happy birthday button! It’s lovely how he is so interactive now I just watched the video - he seems interested but cautious. That’s usually the reaction I get with a hamster birthday cake - investigation, a nibble - then they wander off
I just watched the video - he seems interested but cautious. That’s usually the reaction I get with a hamster birthday cake - investigation, a nibble - then they wander off
A
albert's owner
Happy Birthday little Button!!
- Messages
- 31
- Reaction score
- 85
- Points
- 515
Button finally had some of the cake, and has been pretty much the same all week. He likes to humor me for a short bit after he wakes up, then wants to do his own thing.
I am going to be taking him to a different vet for a check up though, I think something is still wrong with him. His urine smells very strong, and I can see he now has black patches around every joint. It's more than just his one old shoulder injury.
My building had an issue with the water previously, and I lost two lovely hams without knowing why until after the fact. I've been giving him bottled water since learning of it, Button luckily survived it. He's still very active, and really gets that wheel going. I hope he's okay, it's a joy to be able to interact with him.
I am going to be taking him to a different vet for a check up though, I think something is still wrong with him. His urine smells very strong, and I can see he now has black patches around every joint. It's more than just his one old shoulder injury.
My building had an issue with the water previously, and I lost two lovely hams without knowing why until after the fact. I've been giving him bottled water since learning of it, Button luckily survived it. He's still very active, and really gets that wheel going. I hope he's okay, it's a joy to be able to interact with him.
E
elusive
Good to hear Button enjoyed some of his cake 
I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your two hamsters & your concerns about Button, it does sound as though getting him checked out would be for the best, hope it’s nothing too. serious & the little guy will be ok, he sounds fine in himself which is always good.
I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your two hamsters & your concerns about Button, it does sound as though getting him checked out would be for the best, hope it’s nothing too. serious & the little guy will be ok, he sounds fine in himself which is always good.
F
Frida
If you're still worried about Button then getting a second opinion is definitely the right thing to do. Hopefully all will be well for Button
R
RainbowBrite
Lovely to hear Button enjoyed his birthday cake.
I hope the vet visit goes well. It is a good idea to give Button bottled water after what happened.
I hope the vet visit goes well. It is a good idea to give Button bottled water after what happened.
M
Member ID2
I wonder if a water filter would remove enough impurities to make it safe for consumption for hamster and human.
I live in an area with safe water but have always filtered it before use.
Bottled water is good for Button but i'm thinking of you as well here.
If you don't feel confident with one vet, try another. They vary in their knowledge and experience with hamsters. I find that the way a vet handles a hamster also gives an indication of their confidence.
I've seen a vet once who didn't handle my hamster and appeared to be reluctant to deal with hamsters. She may be great with cats and dogs though.
My regular vets genuinely like hamsters which shows in the way they talk to them and handle them.
I live in an area with safe water but have always filtered it before use.
Bottled water is good for Button but i'm thinking of you as well here.
If you don't feel confident with one vet, try another. They vary in their knowledge and experience with hamsters. I find that the way a vet handles a hamster also gives an indication of their confidence.
I've seen a vet once who didn't handle my hamster and appeared to be reluctant to deal with hamsters. She may be great with cats and dogs though.
My regular vets genuinely like hamsters which shows in the way they talk to them and handle them.
- Messages
- 31
- Reaction score
- 85
- Points
- 515
I just got back from the new vet, and she believes Button has kidney disease. What she described seems to fit, he has been losing weight steadily plus his fur. Button also drinks a ton and his urine has that incredibly strong smell. He's going to be on antibiotics and getting less protein in his diet (which he almost never eats anyways). He's still very active, so there's hope it might be early enough for the antibiotics to work. Worst case scenario, down the road we might have to consider putting him down if it starts becoming unbearable for the little guy.
I'm going to stay hopeful, and I hope to have some more footage soon. He was super well behaved, always an angel once he's being handled. We'll have to see how long he's miffed about going to the vet.
I'm going to stay hopeful, and I hope to have some more footage soon. He was super well behaved, always an angel once he's being handled. We'll have to see how long he's miffed about going to the vet.
- Messages
- 19,072
- Reaction score
- 36,084
- Points
- 1,373
I am really sorry to hear that. Did you get a urine sample that the vet could test? I'm just wondering if they could narrow down the cause of the kidney disease to see if it's reversible. I know you mentioned issues with the water previously, and I'm aware that ecoli in water can lead to kidney problems. Even though he's on bottled water now. Fingers crossed it's something that won't get any worse or cause him pain. Really sorry you've had this news, but also good you got a diagnosis from the vet.
Edit I just saw the vet has prescribed antibiotics - which would help if it's caused by infection.
Re Beryl's suggestion of a water filter - it really depends what's in the water. I'm aware of this due to having a spring water supply. No standard water filter, like the type you get on jugs, could remove ecoli for example - it needs to be uv filtration system which kills all bacteria.
Edit I just saw the vet has prescribed antibiotics - which would help if it's caused by infection.
Re Beryl's suggestion of a water filter - it really depends what's in the water. I'm aware of this due to having a spring water supply. No standard water filter, like the type you get on jugs, could remove ecoli for example - it needs to be uv filtration system which kills all bacteria.
E
elusive
I’m really sorry to hear that it wasn’t better news at the vet, the antibiotics may help if there is an infection there so hopefully that may be the case, I have found kidney problems to be common in female Chinese after ruling out infection, diabetes & other diseases so it may be something similar is going on with Button. Did the vet check for diabetes?
In either case, diabetes or kidney failure there isn’t much you can do for them apart from just keep them comfortable & monitor quality of life. I do hope Button can stay reasonably well & comfortable with you for some time yet.
In either case, diabetes or kidney failure there isn’t much you can do for them apart from just keep them comfortable & monitor quality of life. I do hope Button can stay reasonably well & comfortable with you for some time yet.
R
RainbowBrite
So sorry to hear this. I really hope the antibiotics help Button.
F
Frida
Fingers crossed 
the antibiotics work for Button
the antibiotics work for Button
M
Member ID2
So sorry it wasn't better news from the vet but at least you have now confirmed by a vet what you suspected all along. That something wasn't right with Button.
I had a diabetic dwarf and the symptoms were similar to those of kidney disease. It didn't affect his ability of hamstering about like any other hamster and he didn't appear to be in pain either.
Let's hope that Button has an infection the antibiotics will clear but if not, he's in the best of hands to live his life to the full for however long it will be.
As for the water. True, a filter wouldn't remove something like e.coli or legionella. I suppose the water in your building would have been analyzed but would you have been informed of the result.
I had a diabetic dwarf and the symptoms were similar to those of kidney disease. It didn't affect his ability of hamstering about like any other hamster and he didn't appear to be in pain either.
Let's hope that Button has an infection the antibiotics will clear but if not, he's in the best of hands to live his life to the full for however long it will be.
As for the water. True, a filter wouldn't remove something like e.coli or legionella. I suppose the water in your building would have been analyzed but would you have been informed of the result.
- Messages
- 31
- Reaction score
- 85
- Points
- 515
I'm literally going to ask them since you mentioned it, they just advised us not to use it for a period of time due to some unspecified pathogen. They did also check, he isn't diabetic.
Button is already mellowed out from the vet visit, he was out and okay with me sitting by him. He does keep getting thinner, but is still super active. I might give him more of his beloved cashews, he has always been a picky eater. I want to help keep his weight up so he can enjoy his wheel.
Here he is zooming along: Out and About
Button is already mellowed out from the vet visit, he was out and okay with me sitting by him. He does keep getting thinner, but is still super active. I might give him more of his beloved cashews, he has always been a picky eater. I want to help keep his weight up so he can enjoy his wheel.
Here he is zooming along: Out and About
F
Frida
Great to see Button enjoying his wheel 
R
RainbowBrite
Aw Button is looking full of beans. What food mix are you feeding? Elusive has experience with Chinese hamsters so I am sure she will be able to recommend a food mix for him.