Degus can become diabetic very easily.
You need to restrict the sources of sugar in your degu's diet.
Degus can develop islet amyloidosis.
This means that the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas (the cells that produce the hormones insulin and glucagon which regulate blood sugar levels) can be prone to accumulate starch-like matter that reduces their productivity.
Degus can become stressed
Often without noticeable symptoms, like many animals. Humans simply have to learn how to 'read' a degu's behavior (which will come as you get to know your degu). Signs of stress include distress call and escape behavior, whereby the degu will emit a loud 'squeak' repeatedly and/or try and run/climb/jump to a 'hiding' place.Cortisol is the principal plasma glucocorticosteroid in the degu. Cortisol is secreted into the degu's bloodstream when they are stressed, and for this reason stress levels are commonly measured by determining cortisol:blood concentrations. Research has shown that lactating degus have plasma cortisol levels of over 1000ng/ml, well above the standard levels. This implies that lactation and child rearing is very stressful for female degus, so it is essential they are not further stressed during this time. Once lactation is over, cortisol levels decrease greatly.Stress and cortisol can actually inhibit testosterone production in male degus, which affects male fertility.
Degus can develop cataracts secondary to diabetes mellitus onset.
This is often a major indicator that your degu is diabetic.The reason for this is that degus have a higher aldose reductase activity in the retina of the eye than other animals like gerbils and rats. Aldose reductase catalyses the conversion of glucose to sorbitol, a chemical that causes opacity in the lens (cataracts). Diabetic degus can develop cataracts in four weeks. Degus can also congenitally develop (inherit) cataracts. This is caused by a genetic defect whereby meridional rows (associated with opacity) in the lens are disorganized. Offspring of parents with this defect will develop cataracts as this lens disorganization is heritable. Giving a diabetic degu foods high in natural sources of antioxidants can therefore help slow cataract formation.
Degus have a high tolerance for pain.
Research has shown that degus are more resistant to pain than rats. For this reason, degus may not show pain if they have hurt themselves, for example they may not show symptoms if they break a limb until the damage/injury has become more severe. Don't just assume that because your degu is not showing signs of injury after an accident that they are unhurt. Also, it could imply that if a degu is showing signs of pain, such as limping, their injuries could be more severe than it would outwardly appear. It has also been shown that degus are resistant to morphine, methadone and the pressor effects of noradrenaline. Pain management of degus may thus need to be modified accordingly. Related points of interest include that degus may possess an atypical alcohol dehydrogenase, are atrially 40 times more sensitive to negative chronotropic effects of methadone than rats, and may have a catecholamine/endorphine co-secretion from the adrenal gland.
Degus may require vitamin C
Supplementation in their diet. It's recommended to feed your degu guinea pig food as this contains a vitamin C supplement. Better to be safe than sorry.
Degus shed their fur seasonally.
This isn't a health problem as such, but it's important to be aware of this; a shedding degu is perfectly normal. Degus usually shed (molt) once a year, around March-July in the UK. There can be a secondary shed in the autumn, but this is usually less marked. Molting is a natural process whereby the winter fur falls out in order to make room for the shorter, finer summer coat. In the wild, this would also give degus the opportunity to remove any dirt and helps to minimize parasite infestation. Molting is triggered by the increase in day length (and hence daylight hours) which inhibits the release of the hormone melatonin from the pineal gland. The reduction of the blood circulation of melatonin causes a series of changes that results in the shedding process. Melatonin levels then remain low until day length begins to shorten and the winter coat starts to grow through. It should be pointed out that your degus will never become bald, although their fur can appear patchy over areas of short growth. Shedding degus develop characteristic 'stripes' over their body, where the grey undercoat of the longer winter hair shows through at the boundary of the shorter summer coat.
Here's a few tips on how to keep an eye on your degus' health:
1. Weigh your degu regularly- Keeping a weight record for each of your degus is one of the best ways to check their health. Often, the first sign of illness is a change in your degus behaviour, followed by weight loss. Weigh your degus every month and compare the reading to that of the previous month. Remember, a healthy, adult degu should weigh in the region of 220-250 g.
2. Monitor drinking habits- It's a great idea to keep track of how much water your degus are drinking, as over-consumption can be a sign of diabetes, and under-consumption can cause problems such as constipation. Each day when you change the water in the water bottle, note down how much has been consumed (most bottles come with measurements printed on the outside). At the end of the month, add up the water consumed. On average, this should be around 1,000 ml per month for 2-3 healthy adult degus. Remember that degus drink more in hot weather, so this might go up slightly during the summer.
3. Let your degus have a dustbath every day- Dust bathing keeps your degus fur in top condition and also satisfies an important behavioural need.
4. Give each degu evening primrose oil- Another way to promote shiny coats and healthy skin is to give your degus a supplement of a few drops of evening primrose oil every month in their feed. You can also apply it directly to the skin to help degus with dry skin problems.
5. Keep an eye on your degu's behaviour- As mentioned, the first sign that there might be something wrong with your degu is that they do not appear to be their 'usual self'.
6. Check your degu's eyes- The eyes should be fully open, shiny and free from discharge or odour. They should appear dark, without any white or red spots- this can be a sign of cataracts or retinal problems.
7. Check your degu's feet- Looking at the underside of your degu's feet on a regular basis will help you to spot the early signs of bumblefoot such as sores or open wounds. You can then act to stop it getting worse by treating their feet and modifying the cage as necessary.
Degu Health
Below are tips on how to keep your degu healthy and when to recognize when they are sick.