Scaredygoo Suspicions

[bouncy]

As you know, my main three are adoptees, and I know nothing about their history, other than their sex, were fully grown when I got them, and that two are brothers. I've never been too sure which one had been living alone, because they were all together when I met them. Recently, I've been wondering if Scaredygoo is the odd one out.

I've made comments on here before about him looking a bit bedraggled, with some weight loss (weight now steady at a healthy weight, but not increased),  and wondered if it was stress because of Spidergoo's hyperactivity and bullying this winter. He eats normally. In fact, this is one of his three roles in life. The other two are running in the wheel (if anyone is running, it's usually him), and sleeping. In fact, right now, he's tucked up in the slipper bed, Spidey is sat on top of it, and Sillygoo is eating up the hay that Scaredygoo didn't scoff earlier. There's a few things making me wonder if he's not only the non-brother, but also if he's so much older?

He's first to bed and last to get up
He struggles to jump (unless defending himself against Spidey)
He drags his feet in the wheel, whereas the others pitter-patter
He's more lethargic
He struggles to roll in the dust bath
He's slower than the other two
If anyone has a slightly sniffley nose, it's him with the stuff stuck to the end of his nose

I've only really noticed this since the weather started to get colder in october, which might also have contributed to his slowing down.  All three had a general check up for things like teeth, heart, and lungs in September.

It doesn't bother me how old or weird my goos are, but I guess I like to be prepared! Or is another trip to the vet in order?

[deguconvert]

Hmmm! I'm not sure what to say about this. Part of me thinks, just keep watching him and recording things as they happen so that you have a record you can look back on. The other part thinks, have him looked at. Nip whatever it is in the bud. But that could bring on stress and make something worse. So . . . I don't know.

[bouncy]

Yeah, that's my dilemma. He seems OK in himself. He loves his wheel time, and definitely enjoys his food. My poor little dude.......

[yasmin]

There is something going on with him. He is likely older than the others, which would account for his being more lethargic than the others – I've observed that with my older goos, those over 6 years of age, but have never seen them struggle in the sand bath or having a sniffly nose to the point of stuff getting stuck to it. At least you know that in September his teeth, lungs and heart were fine. Also, good he is eating. Not sure what a vet can do or diagnose except put him on a precautionary round of antibiotics in case he has a respiratory issue. If you have some Metacam on hand, I would give him a dose and see if it helps at all – one way to test if there is some sort of arthritis kicking in (not sure if degus get arthritis but it might be worth a try).

[bouncy]

Thanks Yasmin. The sniffley nose is something he's had all the time I've had him. It's the reason I changed from woodshavings to carefresh. Since then, it's only really like this once or twice every couple of months. It's just very sweet to see bits of sand stuck to it.

With the sand bath, it's like he thinks about it, then thinks "sod it, one of the others can groom me". I did wonder about arthritis. He can't take my codeine, so I think I better sort out a trip to the vet this weekend. It would make sense to have some metacam on hand! Will have to be a group trip, though. Spidey gets really peeved if one of the others gets to go out without him

[uglibug]

It could be an age thing. Our Mater is a very elderly goo (12 this year by the reckoning of the rescue) and he has similar habits. He sleeps a lot and is a bit half hearted in the bath. He also tends to walk in the wheel rather than run, and struggles with jumps and bar climbing. We also suspect arthritis. We have just tried to make his life as easy as possible and let him enjoy his twilight years.

[moletteuk]

My girls are 5.5 and have been lazier this winter than last, they don't seem to have come into season this year, not as much wheeling and so on, but they all still run and jump if they want to, I'm expecting them to liven up a bit if spring ever arives, mine have always been less active in the winter.

I think the metacam as a diagnostic aid is a good idea.

I think the sniffly nose is probably a separate things and might be an ongoing dust and/ or allergy type thing, there's not a whole lot you can do once you have them on the lowest dust bedding and tried different hays, ruled out chemicals etc.

[bouncy]

Possibly just a case of "like hooman, like goo" hehehe

[bouncy]

Well, Scaredygoo and I (and possibly the rest of the clan if Spidey kicks off) are off to the nice vet this afternoon to see what the cause might be. I suspect it is something along the lines of arthritis or rheumatism, and want to make sure and see if anything can be done to ease any discomfort.

Will keep you posted!

[bouncy]

So, we went to the goo doc today, just the two of us. It was a lovely bonding experience. My main three aren't cuddlies, but he came out of his travel cage and sat in my hoodie pouch, let me cuddle him, and went to sleep! Wasn't too chuffed about being woken up and extracted for his examination, though ""]

Anyway, vet agreed there was something up with him. Teeth, lungs, heart and limbs are all fine. She thinks the movements he avoids indicate a problem with his back (def takes after me!). I'm giving him Metacam on a daily basis, so will give it a few days to see if it makes a difference to him. He did spend more time out of the cage than normal during his evening play.

Don't know if he's going to be a problem to give meds to - I had given him a hazelnut as a reward after his examination, but he just held it in his mouth, and wouldn't let me take it. The vet took the opportunity to put the syringe in his mouth behind the nut, and he'd swallowed it before he knew what was happening ""]

Anyway, if it starts to help, we're going to do an xray of his spine to find out why.

[moletteuk]

OK, let's hope the vet can figure something out and it's not too serious. I guess it's good if the metacam helps, but not ideal for him to be on it permanently, let's wait and see.

[bouncy]

Yeah, I know whatnyou mean. I won't take my Diclofenac more than a few days at a time....

He didn't have a roll, but he jumped into the dust bath by himself (with and without the step) this afternoon, and tried to jump onto the ramp into the cage (but failed) partway up. Even if he doesn't make it, trying things like that suggests there's less discomfort.

[deguconvert]

It certainly does suggest that there is less discomfort. How is he doing now?

[bouncy]

There's been a little more spring in his step, but not jumping up on the bins and things. It's like he's just trying stuff slowly. He'll be let out for a good run shortly, so I'll see how he's doing at the end of day 3

[deguconvert]

Good for him!! Being a very wise goo, he is, not going hog wild with trying everything. LOL! Then again, perhaps his pain has been more intense than could possibly be known (goos being the masters of hiding pain), and he has a well established custom of being careful as a result.

[bouncy]

He's definitely spending more time out of the cage now, and likes to be in the Chelsea extension, but I'm still not convinced. He's venturing into the dust bath more often too, but I still haven't seen him roll.

He doesn't like the Metacam. I've had to resort to the vet's tactic of putting the syringe in his mouth, behind the thing in his open jaws, and squirting. At the moment it means a shelled nut, which is the only thing I can tempt him with, but he'd lost weight before, and it's only for this week. When I sit down he climbs onto my lap expecting his nut, but still hasn't associated the nut with the Metacam.

[deguconvert]

Feb 24, 2016 9:20:03 GMT bouncy said:

When I sit down he climbs onto my lap expecting his nut, but still hasn't associated the nut with the Metacam.

May it continue to be so!! A most beneficial lack of association!

[bouncy]

Let the boys out again last night - Scaredygoo looked like he'd taken a step backwards. He'd gotten himself down and back up again form the Chelsea extension, but was slower in the wheel, and each attempt to get into the dust bath failed. Admittedly, the step he was using moved on his first attempt, but he also struggled to reach up against the side of it. When I held it down so he could climb in, he sat there, ate some poo the others had left, then climbed out again.

Going to book an appointment for the weekend

[deguconvert]

Poor little guy!! Do you think an X-Ray would show anything?

[bouncy]

I don't know. From experience, I can quite understand if medication doesn't always help a back injury. If it is that, at least I'll be able to make sure the cage is adapted for him. If it isn't his back, then there's potentially something else going on.