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Post by bouncy on Aug 12, 2016 0:37:45 GMT
Definitely sounds like he's in pain! If his poops are shrinking again, it kind of suggests he's still having tum problems. If he is such a fan of the recovery food and it's quite liquid, I'm wondering if that might be a more effective way of getting the baytril into him?
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 12, 2016 4:04:28 GMT
Perhaps cut the amount of moor water in half, and then . . . well . . . dare I suggest a little bit more of the metacam? Perhaps not, but I would sure be tempted if I were you.
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emergency
Aug 12, 2016 8:34:42 GMT
via mobile
Post by Bexi87 on Aug 12, 2016 8:34:42 GMT
Unfortunately (or fortunately) I've not had any experience of illness with my guys but I'm wondering if there could be anything in or near the cage that he's nibbled that's causing the tummy problems?
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Post by randomname on Aug 12, 2016 10:09:00 GMT
He won't touch the recovery food now. Left it last night, won't eat the fresh batch I've just made. Weirdly, he'll take an oat, a nut or a pea flake from me, but won't dig through his food to find them. Is ignoring everything unless I hand him it. He seems a little brighter today, his eye is open, looks fine. He is active, not hiding or hunched up. Is moving normally. Just hasn't eaten. Gave him his metacam early so am thinking that has helped him feel better. He's mainly just eating his willow tunnel. He's not just destroying it, he's eating it methodically. deguconvert - I was thinking the very same thing last night actually. Maybe a morning & evening dose might be a good idea? Will ask the vet when I'm there with the dog later. Should I take him to the vets today or tomorrow morning do you think? If nothing else, they can give him the 3 injections again.
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Post by moletteuk on Aug 12, 2016 10:24:09 GMT
I would think about getting the xrays done and getting a full mouth check, because I think we still don't have many clues what is going on. In my experience degus tend to go off their food as soon as they have any kind of health issue, so the eating problem could be secondary to something else.
If you want to try a different recovery food, you can make your own from crushed forage dregs (you know the tiny bits left in the bottom of the bag), oil seeds and grains whizzed up in blender/ grinder or crushed in pestle & mortar, mixed with veg only baby food (or your own mashed veg mix).
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Post by randomname on Aug 12, 2016 10:44:58 GMT
moletteuk I was thinking the same about the xrays. Might get him seen in the morning, give him the injections to keep him going over the weekend, & then get him booked in for xrays Monday.
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Post by randomname on Aug 12, 2016 11:42:02 GMT
Have made an appointment at the vets for an hour's time. Will see what she says.
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Post by goolover on Aug 12, 2016 12:25:41 GMT
Hope everything goes ok x
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Post by randomname on Aug 12, 2016 14:00:34 GMT
*sigh* no further forward really. Vet worried about sedating him again, would have to use huge amount considering he woke up & went for a wander halfway through last time. Given that there's no other signs it's dental & that he's been under once this week already, we decided not to xray yet. She gave me Metoclopramide to give him 3 times a day - does anyone know if it's palatable like metacam? If not, going to be a nightmare. She suggested trying Zantac next week if he's no better. Has anyone used this for their goos? I also wonder if it's worth worming him. I haven't seen any in his poops, but given how stinky/scruffy he was when I got him, maybe it'd be worth it? Would be Panacur. What are people's thoughts on degus & worms - never seen or heard of it myself, but any mammal can get them I guess? She also said I can up the metacam dose, which is good. Still not sure what's happening with him though
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Post by randomname on Aug 12, 2016 14:28:51 GMT
yay he took the Metoclopramide straight from the syringe! Little belter, could have kissed him
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 12, 2016 21:29:19 GMT
That's wonderful!! Controlling his pain will be helpful for the time being, but knowing why he is in such pain would be even better. Hopefully that can be determined before too long . . . or his pain and health will improve. The fact that he wants to eat out of your hand, tells me that he is making a bond with you, and is associating good things with you. Take advantage of that.
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Post by yasmin on Aug 12, 2016 23:43:42 GMT
I have never heard of a degu being prescribed Zantac. It is used for cats, dogs and horses but... what kind of dosage did the vet prescribe? The Metoclopramide HCL is given to rodents and small mammals. Amazing that he took it straight from the syringe. That's awesome. I will keep it in mind if any of my goos have gut motility issues in the future.
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Post by randomname on Aug 13, 2016 10:38:51 GMT
You know what I've just done..... dropped the Metoclopramide & spilled the lot! AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Thank goodness the vet is open for another 45 minutes, have sent my oldest to pick up some more. Could cry with frustration. BB still looks ok, bright & lively, taking the matacam & metoclopramide from the syringe. Still eating tiny amounts, but no where near enough. yasmin - she said it would be a tiny dose, but we wanted to try the Metoclopramide first, see if it makes any difference. If not, will go back Monday for the Zantac. deguconvert - I agree, am really frustrated not knowing what's happening. All we know for certain is there is pain as the metacam definitely helps. Am glad he seems to know he can trust me, makes life a little easier, but would prefer it if he didn't need me in that way obviously. Maybe he'll let me cuddle him one day, without being ill
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Post by winic1 on Aug 13, 2016 12:57:42 GMT
Weird thought on the eating, since he doesn't like hay or degu pellets.... Was looking back at your first post to remind me of BB's history. Got to the part where he got all excited by your dog. Seems like he had a dog for a friend, before. Could they have been feeding him dog kibble? would it be worth offering him one, to see if he'll eat it, since he's eating so little? Someone who would have treated him so terribly might have just done that, tossed him some of the dog's food rather than bother to get him what he should have.
I know it's not what he should be eating, at all, but it might get a bit of calories in him, and give you some info. If he'd been eating such an inappropriate diet, it would help explain his current gut troubles.
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Post by randomname on Aug 13, 2016 13:57:16 GMT
It's weird you say that winic1. My dogs are vegetarian, they have some wet veggie food that's like baby food with veggies. I tried BB on a bit this morning, but he wasn't interested. I do have another couple of brands of their wet food to try, can't hurt at this stage. I have 2 types of veggie dog nuggets & some veggie cat biscuits - maybe I could try them? Never thought of it 'til now. I know the food is vegan, so there's no meat, cheese, milk etc. Should be just veggies. Can't hurt him can it? Am beginning to think the same thing - that he's reacting to the bad diet he had before. This morning he's eaten some powdered dill, a couple of sunflower seeds, a tiny amount of poppy seeds, & a couple of pea flakes. He's ignoring the recovery food & his normal food still. He's still eating his willow tunnel, bark from his steps & he had a nibble on some green oat hay (not enough to make any difference, but it's hay, so am pleased) Forgot to say the vet has told me to discontinue the baytril as he's gone off his water, & there isn't any sign of infection anyway.
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Post by randomname on Aug 13, 2016 14:31:25 GMT
also forgot to mention that while I was getting his meds sorted this morning (before I spilled them all over) I could hear his guts making noises while I was sat next to him. Is that a good thing (means they're working) or a bad thing (means they're struggling) at this stage?
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Post by bouncy on Aug 13, 2016 16:23:42 GMT
Gurgling tum to me means digestion having a go!
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Post by randomname on Aug 13, 2016 17:21:28 GMT
Hope so bouncy, I know that no sound in rabbits is bad, sound is good. Hoping that applies to BB too.
Considering how little he's eaten, he's really bright & active. Been on his wheel a fair bit today. Is running up & down the cage a lot too. His eye looks better too. His coat is a bit ruffled & sad looking though, despite being in a sand bath earlier.
If it wasn't for the not eating & looking a bit underweight, you wouldn't know he's ill at the moment. Am hoping all this is a sign the Metoclopramide is working, as he looked terrible again Friday. Hopefully he'll start eating soon. This is the first day of having 3 doses of Metoclopramide daily, he's on his 2nd dose now. At around 9 I'll give him the last dose & some metacam. Hopefully he'll eat through the night or in the morning.
Fingers, arms, legs & eyes crossed! (not all night though, that'll get painful lol)
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 13, 2016 19:31:15 GMT
Have you tried any of the dog biscuits? IF he came from a home with a doggy friend, I think you would need to assume that the dog would have been eating typical dog food, not the vegan food you are feeding your animals. So, though it goes very much against your beliefs and practices, it might be an idea to get a small portion of "cheap" dog food from a bulk bin in a pet store, and give it a try. (Making an assumption that if an owner is so unconcerned about the proper feeding of a degu, they are also unconcerned about a good quality food for the dog.) If he goes after it, then you know that the challenge will be to populate his belly with the right kind of bacteria to digest normal degu foods, and to retrain his tastes to the right things. That would likely take a while, but might be easier and healthier with a slow transition than with the cold turkey full stop he has had since he was first found.
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 13, 2016 19:33:43 GMT
I don't know which poops are the desired ones . . . as in the ones that degus eat to repopulate their gut bacteria . . . but I would again suggest that you collect some poos from the little boys and put some in his cage for him to possibly eat. I would put them in a small dish so that you at least have some idea if he is taking them.
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