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Post by peppey on Feb 28, 2016 15:26:07 GMT
My 2 year old degu seems to have a blocked nose so she is sucking air in through her mouth instead, this is causing bloating and she wont eat or drink. I have tried unblocking her nose with suggestions from other threads on here using a sieve and olbas oil, but I am trying not to do it too often because I heard it could cause scarring to the lungs. I am currently trying to syringe feed her and am also giving her water this way but she is refusing to take any of it most of the time. I do not have the money to take her to see a degu specialist at the moment because I am only I student, I have also tried making a recipe I found on here to try and encourage her to eat, but it dont seem to be working.  Her teeth look normal but I think the roof of her mouth looks a bit puffy, I am not sure what inside the degus mouth is actually supposed to look like because it's very hard to look in their mouths usually. I am not sure on what else I should do or try, I want to try to take her to the pdsa on Tuesday because my mum gets paid a little and she could give my grandad petrol money but until then I am pretty much out of ideas. |
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Post by uglibug on Feb 28, 2016 15:49:25 GMT
Persevere with the syringe feeding, I'm sure she's getting some of it. Have you tried steam inhalation? Not easy with a goo but try letting her sit in a steamy bathroom for 15 minutes or so, it can help a stuffy nose. It does sound like she needs a course of antibiotics to get her over this so a trip to a vet when you can is a must.
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Post by peppey on Feb 28, 2016 15:56:26 GMT
Persevere with the syringe feeding, I'm sure she's getting some of it. Have you tried steam inhalation? Not easy with a goo but try letting her sit in a steamy bathroom for 15 minutes or so, it can help a stuffy nose. It does sound like she needs a course of antibiotics to get her over this so a trip to a vet when you can is a must. Yeah, I am going to do everything I can to get her through this until Tuesday. I will have to try putting her in a steamy bathroom, if I can get her to breath through her nose that will be great because the bloating is really worrying me. She really needs to eat and drink so that's going to be my task for the day  She does seem to be breathing a bit better at the moment though so that's a upside  |
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Post by moletteuk on Feb 28, 2016 16:01:41 GMT
Not sure what you mean by sieve, is that a typo?
Anyway, as Uglibug says, steam inhalation is your best bet to free off the nose. You can try some simethicone, which you can buy as a baby colic product in UK as Infacol, which helps the degu to pass the gas (they don't absorb it so the dose isn't crucial).
If you can get her breathing normally again, some Critical Care may help her to start eating normally again, she really won't want to eat if she is full of gas.
A blocked nose is usually caused either by infection like a cold or bacterial respiratory infection or by teeth problems, you might get an idea which from how quickly it came on, if there is weight loss, change in appetite, other respiratory symptoms like sniffles and sneezing. It is unlikely you would be able to see the molar teeth unless they did a massive yawn and you were really quick, it's usually the molars that cause issues with the sinuses.
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Post by peppey on Feb 28, 2016 16:30:19 GMT
Not sure what you mean by sieve, is that a typo? Anyway, as Uglibug says, steam inhalation is your best bet to free off the nose. You can try some simethicone, which you can buy as a baby colic product in UK as Infacol, which helps the degu to pass the gas (they don't absorb it so the dose isn't crucial). If you can get her breathing normally again, some Critical Care may help her to start eating normally again, she really won't want to eat if she is full of gas. A blocked nose is usually caused either by infection like a cold or bacterial respiratory infection or by teeth problems, you might get an idea which from how quickly it came on, if there is weight loss, change in appetite, other respiratory symptoms like sniffles and sneezing. It is unlikely you would be able to see the molar teeth unless they did a massive yawn and you were really quick, it's usually the molars that cause issues with the sinuses. I mean one of these which you use to drain pasta I have been putting it over a pan of hot water (with caution so she don't hurt herself) and the steam comes up through the holes and I also add 3 drops of olbas oil to try and unblock her nose. Thanks for the suggestion about the simethicone I will definitely give that a try. Also she has her mouth open a lot now when she is sucking in the air so I will have to have a good look around. |
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Post by moletteuk on Feb 28, 2016 19:53:33 GMT
Oh right, sorry, you really meant a sieve! Actually, that's not a bad idea as long as the metal doesn't get too hot. If you get a really big towel or blanket you can put this over you, the degu and the bowl and sieve cover and trap a bit more of the steam, maybe that's what you were doing? I would always do this with you inside the towel with the degu so you know if it is getting too hot and steamy. You can steam regularly through the day if she is still mouth breathing, but I wouldn't put the olbas oil in every time.
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Post by animalmadchloe on Feb 29, 2016 20:42:26 GMT
I hate to be the one to say it but if you can't afford the specialist care for an exotic animal, should you really be keeping them? The fact this animal has been suffering since Sunday possibly longer really saddens me. Good luck with the pdsa tomorrow I hope they can help.
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Post by uglibug on Mar 1, 2016 9:24:31 GMT
I hate to be the one to say it but if you can't afford the specialist care for an exotic animal, should you really be keeping them? The fact this animal has been suffering since Sunday possibly longer really saddens me. Good luck with the pdsa tomorrow I hope they can help. Sometimes circumstances change and there's nothing you can do about it. We would struggle with a big vet bill atm (ours charged £30 to tell us our goo was naked; we could see that!!). It doesn't mean I love them any less, it just means that should the worst happen and someone was sick or seriously injured we would have to go without something for the month. We have in the past resorted to eating just once a day to make sure our fur babies are looked after. |
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Post by animalmadchloe on Mar 1, 2016 19:04:28 GMT
I wasn't trying be mean. But why wait till Tuesday? I know people have hard times. I just feel bad for the animal that's all I didn't mean any offence by it. |
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Post by savvy on Mar 1, 2016 19:18:33 GMT
How did the little lady getting on?
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Her teeth look normal but I think the roof of her mouth looks a bit puffy, I am not sure what inside the degus mouth is actually supposed to look like because it's very hard to look in their mouths usually. I am not sure on what else I should do or try, I want to try to take her to the pdsa on Tuesday because my mum gets paid a little and she could give my grandad petrol money but until then I am pretty much out of ideas. 
She does seem to be breathing a bit better at the moment though so that's a upside 
