Lethargic Goo - Not eating

[goobils]

One of my four degu's has been very lethargic since yesterday. She is usually very active and will not sit still in my hand when I take her out of the cage. But yesterday and today she has mostly just lied there not moving much. I managed to get her to eat a nut yesterday and a couple of oats today but she doesn't really seem interested in food. She is looking a lot smaller than the other 3 and only weights 188g. When she sits down you can see her hips instead of a nice fluffy bum.

The only thing she is eating is her poo as soon as she does it. I know it is normal for them to eat some of their poo but this seems like the only thing she is eating. She has taken oats and nuts off me when offered but then sniffs htem and drops them - I couldn't even tempt her with a dandelion and that would normally be her favourite.

I have taken her out of the cage and she is just sitting on my computer desk barely even exploring which is not like her. I've not seen her drinking either so am converned she may be dehydrated.

Any suggestions as to any completely irresistable foods I could give her to perk her up. She is about 2 1/2 years old BTW

[w8152]

I'd suggest a trip to the vets as it sounds like something internal is putting her off eating. Teeth maybe?

Are there ay lumps under her chin, are her eyes bright? try a pipet with water in to see if you can get her to take any that way then at least you know she has taken on some fluids. there is also a recipe somewhere for ill degu food that they find easier to eat...

deguworld.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=health&action=display&thread=6023

[goobils]

Thanks for your reply. I've phoned my regualr vets who I go to with my cat but they don't seem to know much about degu's so trying to find someone that does.

Her eyes are still bright and I can't see or feel any lumps. Her teeth are nice and yellow and don't look too long or anything. Will have to go out shopping for some ingredients for that recipe and give it a try.

[goobils]

Took her to a local vet but to be honest she didn't seem to know much about goos at all. She asked me what their normal lifespan was when I told her she was about 2 as she thought she would be coming to the end of her life by 2 years old! She also went to try and pick her up with the base of her tail.

She checked her teeth and everything is fine. She dip tested her urine for glucose and that was clear. She felt her stomach and there was no obvious lump/obstruction just felt very empty.

She is dehydrated so she has given me a syringe to give her water with which she is reluctantly letting me do at the minute. She has also given me some antibiotics to try Bayril 2.5% Oral and after I directed her to degutopia she has prescribed 0.02ml a day for upto 7 days.

She just said little and often with the water so how would you recommend I do this? The syringe she has given me is marked up from 0.1 to 1ml. So far I have given her 0.2ml over two lots 15mins apart, the first with her antibiotics mixed in.

Also, the treat recipe includes sunflower oil. Would I be able to give her little bits of this by syringe to try and put a bit of weight on her until I can get her eating solids properly?

[listracian]

You should be able to get a smaller syringe from a pharmacy or something if you need one, otherwise use a ruler and mark out what would be below so you can give her the right dosage? Also be careful not to stress her out while trying to feed her, so do everything really gently or as gently as you can.

[smux]

Put a drop of baytril on one of her favourite treats (or normal food) and sit with her until she eats it (just to be sure she takes it rather than any of the other three) and feel free to do this twice a day if you feel there is enough to last in the bottle. I'm not exactly sure how many drops 0.02ml is so I would be inclined to go for twice a day personally. If she isn't taking food (as you said above) then disregard the above advice and just directly feed her the medicine that way with the syringe.

Another thing you can try, if you have degu nuggets anyway, is to feed her nuggets soaked in water...she may eat this more readily than the normal hard food, which would suggest it is a problem with digesting solid foods and could be anything from mouth problems to stomach problems and anything inbetween. The eating of her droppings would be to boost her immune system, and baby degus do this to start the immunity going as they originally get this from their mother's milk but lose the immunity once they stop with the milk. It is normal for it to happen with adult degus sometimes, but if that's all she's eating it would be a worry and would have suggested illness (degu's natural medicine :-)).

It is normal for vets to know little or nothing about degus, but I would just tell them to treat them like any rodent except for picking them up by the tail or scruff of the neck (yes, I had a student vet try to pick one of my guys up by the skin on the back of their neck. On a totally unrelated note, I've picked my own up that way with my lips when playing about but obviously I didn't lift them high up or apply any real pressure...and also I am weird like that, they put up with me and my weirdness :-P). The one thing the vet probably failed to check would be your girl's food pouch in her mouth (much like a hamster's cheeks being used for food, but this is a backup food store...beyond that I know nothing about it at all) which would have given an indication of how vital it is to get more food into her...if the food pouch (or pouches, I have no idea if there's 1 or two or even more :-P) is empty then she'll HAVE to be eating food to keep on getting the required nutrients to survive the night.

With regards to the water, think back to how she used to drink if she hadn't had water for a while (perhaps when the bottle was empty and you forgot to refill it...it happens to us all sometimes)...was SHE drinking little and often or would she spend a good few minutes having a drink? If she spent a while at the water bottle, it would be safe to give her a whole syringeful of water each time although I would go a drop at a time if she's uncomfortable drinking from the syringe. It is possibly a bladder problem and you don't want to put too much pressure on her bladder.

Another thing you could do if she is dehydrated is ensure she isn't too hot and as such won't lose so much that way (although degus don't sweat, of course...if only it was that simple)...a cooler room would help with that, although make sure her house is warm so she has the choice if she wants.

If she is underweight, fatty treats will be a welcome bonus for her and you should feel free to give her something fatty daily..half to whole peanut a day should be enough, but not too much so switch between the two and perhaps give her a half twice on one of the days if you feel like it. If she eats it, this will get her energy up which will help her to get strength.

Edit: re the sunflower oil, if she won't take sunflower seeds, might be an alternative...let someone else confirm though, I can't say for definite. I don't think it'll do her a great deal of good personally, not compared to what the sunflower seed or peanut might give.

[deguconvert]

deguworld.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=health&action=display&thread=6023

Go to that link and you will find a recipe for degus that need an extra boost to gain weight or health. It is a tempting food to be used (homemade) in such times of need. Make sure only the lethargic degu is getting it though.

[nickymills30]

oh hun, i hope she gets better very soon xxx

[goobils]

thanks for the replies but unfortunately we lost her at 10am this morning.

RIP Daisy

[hellsbells]

Aww I'm really sorry to hear that - RIP Daisy

[smux]

Lethargy almost always seems to be the final warning of something wrong, it's a downhill slope from there onwards with little chance of recovery as at that point the degu themselves have given up. It would take a very determined owner to get them back to health at that point, but you did as we all do and you tried your best, that's what matters.

You may have lost one, but do your best to continue with the other three as they're still around. As you had four, there will probably be little mourning from them (if any of them were close to her, they might notice her absence) and little difference in their behaviour, if any, and they'll get you through it.

[goobils]

Thanks Smux. I've lost several hamsters over the years and no matter how much you do you always think what else could I have done but I really don't think there was anything I could do differently. It's a shame they are such tough little creatures that don't let us know something is wrong until it is too late. I just wish the vet had given her subcutaneous fluids as I think she was already too dehydrated by that time to bring her back by hand feeding.

The other three are going along with their daily business and don't even seem to notice daisy is not there. It makes me sad that they don't seem to miss her but at the same time so glad that I didn't just have a pair because I would then have one very depressed goo.

Going to keep a close eye on the rest in case it was something viral/bacterial in case anyone else gets it. Just so frustrating not knowing what caused her to leave us so soon.

[Bexi87]

So sorry, RIP Daisy

[deguconvert]

I'm very sorry as well! I hoped for a better outcome for you. RIP Daisy.

[Cherpi]

aww RIP ((

[whizzer27]

RIP Daisy, it's blummin' horrible , hope your ok! xx