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Post by deguconvert on Mar 20, 2014 20:39:37 GMT
I, too, am sorry, Yasmin. She is a sweet and well loved goo. I hope that things are very slow to progress, and that with the removal of the spurs she will be able to regain weight, and will have a strong recovery for a long time.
I'm sure you are very sad and wondering what the days ahead will look like. My heart hurts with yours.
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Post by anita on Mar 21, 2014 0:14:14 GMT
I am so sorry and you and Lilac are in my thoughts x
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Post by yasmin on Mar 21, 2014 15:50:31 GMT
Thanks. Guess it's day to day now. She was miserable last night - but this morning she ate some peas. As the vet said, all treatment is palliative from now on. I hope to see her back on her wheel and eating regular food again – she normally loves her fresh greens and seeds. Glad she is home with her daughters – they are taking good care of their mom (cuddling, preening, checking on her regularly).
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Post by jenowuk on Mar 21, 2014 16:00:26 GMT
Hope she picks up, but it sounds like her girls are taking good care of her:-)
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Post by yasmin on Oct 16, 2014 14:45:33 GMT
Update on Lilac: It has been over 6 months now since she was diagnosed with molars growing into her nasal cavity. She's been getting Metacam on average every two days. Have been trying to space out treatments knowing that long-term use of Metacam is likely to ruin her kidneys. (Read somewhere that it takes 48 hours for the drug to leave her system so that's why I thought that maybe giving it to her two or more days apart might minimize the rate of organ damage. ?) This morning marks the first 24-hour period in which she will not eat anything but oats. I know that there is no saving her from the molars growing into her nasal cavity, but I am worried that she may have developed more spurs. I really would like to have the vet take a look at her mouth and remove any spurs, though last time I saw him he was hesitant to do it because her breathing was so bad making any form of anaesthetic extremely risky. He still did it and she has been doing relatively well considering for over half a year. But, her breathing is even worse now and her body condition has deteriorated – she has lost alot of weight; still, I believe that she may need spurs removed. If I take her to the vet, and if he agrees to lightly anaesthetize her to check her mouth, I have to be prepared that she is likely to pass away from the procedure. Not sure what to do/when to do it. I have been gauging her comfort level by her use of her wheel. She still uses it. Don't want to bring her in and have her pass away when she could have had a few more days/weeks to live. However, don't want her not eating because of spurs in her mouth and then dying of starvation from that. Any advice? What would you do in this situation?
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 16, 2014 15:03:48 GMT
I think I would take her in to the vet. I don't think the risk of losing some time with her is too bad if she doesn't want to eat in that time, I think it's too big an indicator to ignore.
I wouldn't worry too much about the kidney damage at this stage, I think I would up the metacam to daily now.
I'm really sorry she is reaching this stage, it must be hard to watch and judge timing.
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Post by saddlers on Oct 16, 2014 15:04:34 GMT
Sorry to hear about Lilac, it is a difficult situation, I am sure you will know when the time is right.
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 16, 2014 17:31:45 GMT
I am sorry to hear this too, Yasmin! Do tell us what comes of everything.
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Post by yasmin on Oct 16, 2014 18:29:35 GMT
I've made an appointment with the vet for next week – Tuesday, 10:30 am. (He's on holiday this week – back on Monday.) There are other doctors there if I need to bring her in before then. (I so do hope I won't have to.)
I will up the Metacam to daily from this point onward.
Thank you all for your support. I will keep this thread updated.
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Post by klbishop on Oct 16, 2014 20:06:13 GMT
so much love to your family, I bet she will be pleased to get home too x
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Post by animalmadchloe on Oct 16, 2014 21:05:53 GMT
Reading this thread made my eyes well up sorry to hear lilac isnt doing so.well I dread the day if it comes to my goos xx hugs
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Post by yasmin on Oct 20, 2014 20:09:02 GMT
Lilac is eating hard food again – like before, she eats pieces that are flat-shaped. Don't really know what changed except that I am spending more time feeding her and making sure she gets alot of oats and extra sunflower seeds to keep her energy up. I have also started giving her Metacam daily, even if she looks like she doesn't really need it. I have cancelled the vet appointment because she is eating "normally (for her)" again. She's still running her wheel so I believe she is still enjoying life – want to keep it that way for as long as I can. Will revisit the "spur removal vs risk to life" issue every few days. Don't know how else to deal with it. For my sanity's sake, I have decided to force myself not to worry until she is not running her wheel and/or she shows 48 hours of not being able to eat hard food. Will keep this thread updated.
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 20, 2014 23:26:19 GMT
Oh hooray!! This is such good news!!
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 21, 2014 14:31:34 GMT
I just visited this thread with a heavy heart to see how you got on so I'm very pleased to read it's good news I'm sure you are making good decisions so have faith in yourself that you know best, try not to worry too much, I know it's hard though xx
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Post by yasmin on Jan 24, 2015 1:47:18 GMT
It's been 10 months, and Lilac is still alive. She is 7 years old now. Still getting Metacam and I still try and select food for her that she is able to fit into her mouth. However, she is now losing fur around one of her legs. One leg is almost completely bald and there's a round cyst-like fleshy thing on her leg. It's the size of a marble.
When I saw the vet in March or April, he said that we could only give her palliative care (because her molars are growing into her nasal cavities), and that her breathing is so bad that any procedure requiring anesthesia would be too dangerous to do. He said that the next time I bring her in will likely be to have her put down. But, this cyst and baldness – should I take her in to see him or is this just a sign of aging? Is there anything he can do for her?
Any guidance/advice would be appreciated.
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Post by moletteuk on Jan 24, 2015 18:09:09 GMT
I can't really comment on the aging side of things. Are the baldness or cyst bothering her much? Is the skin OK on the bald bit? I think it depends whether you would feel better getting an opinion on what the cyst is, I can't imagine they can do anything with it if they can't anaesthetise for removal, so you could argue it doesn't really matter what it is. There isn't really any harm in taking her in to get her looked over, you can always take her home again. Are they likely to be able to check her mouth without anaesthesia?
I'm guessing she is looking a bit ropey and you feel like you don't want to be withholding medical care, but at the same time think there isn't much they can do for her, and a bit nervous of taking her in being a death sentence? I always feel better after I take them in, but then I haven't had the bad luck that you have.
Maybe somebody else will have better advice for you from the perspective of older goos.
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Post by deguconvert on Jan 24, 2015 18:33:31 GMT
I really don't know what to say either. Our two older boys are looking worse the last little while, and one of them have also developed what I can only think is a tumor under the skin on a rear leg. He is not bothered or limited by it, moves like always, but his fur is not as well kept as usual of late. Both have serious cataracts, and a weird thing, the tips of their ears are sort of curling? I am thinking it is age . . . but I really have no idea. They are just over eight years of age.
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Post by ntg on Jan 24, 2015 20:40:02 GMT
I don't quote know the age of Gandalf, but I was given the estimate of 6 years when I got him so he'd probably be between 6-10 years giving a couple of years for error.
He's really as fit as a lop, apart from his tail at times.
It's probably a good idea to take her in if the cyst seems to be hindering her/causing her pain but it's ultimately up to you rather than the vet l to put her down, they can't push you into it really.
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Post by yasmin on Jan 24, 2015 21:46:54 GMT
Yes, moletteuk, she certainly is looking a bit "ropey". The skin on her leg looks normal, and she doesn't seem to be experiencing any pain or hindrance because of the cyst.
I am hoping that the hair loss and cyst is due to age and not a side effect of the medication or lack of balance in her diet. It is so difficult to make sure she is eating properly – I am so focussed in just making sure she is getting enough calories to keep her going and to keep her from suffering hunger pains.
I too usually feel better after taking them to the vet. I'm taking Go in on Monday to have her teeth dealt with. What I will do is talk to the vet about Lilac then and see if he recommends that I bring her in. It is the stress of the visit that I worry about. However, I really would like him to have a look in her mouth as well if he can do it without anesthesia because then if she has spurs that are making matters worse I might decide to take the risk of her undergoing anesthesia to have spurs removed.
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Post by moletteuk on Jan 25, 2015 11:03:46 GMT
That sounds like a good plan.
I can see how it must be a concern feeding for calories rather than optimum health, but I bet it's pretty hard work as it is and you don't have much choice in the matter, they can be so stubborn about what they will eat. Even when my girls are in season their appetite drops off rapidly and they get very fussy, and the first things they start refusing are the healthy things.
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