Post by Karma on Sept 30, 2016 14:23:40 GMT
So Herc has had clicky breathing the last week or so and I had some baytril left over so I thought I would just treat him at home and save some money (long story but I'm not doing well financially at all right now).
He ended up worsening yesterday and looking sick so I took him straight in (he is my baby!)
well .... we did xrays - pneumonia in one lung (probably affecting both bronchial sides), extreme extreme bloating from gasping for air (his poor stomach was HUGE - did not feel that bad from the outside so I'm glad I did the xrays, I just about opted out of them.
We also found another issue since he is 5 years old now, his entire spine has spondysis which is bony bridges between his vertebrates. I thought he wasn't running on his wheel as much because he was getting older but it is because he is in pain from this. So he will be on longterm tramadol even after the lungs clear up.
So my hard to hold and medicate degu is on twice daily - dioctyl 0.2ml to move the gas through the system, tramadol 0.06ml of 10mg/ml for pain, azithromycin 0.06ml 200mg/5ml for antiobiotic and ciloxan 1 drop each nose. And we are also doing a once daily nebulizer treatment with an antiobiotic (F10) as well to help him breathe.
Soooo $550 later the little brat .... and I need to file down his teeth once he is feeling a bit better but they look very good for a 5 year old degu. at least my vet can do that without sedation since she is a great exotic vet. I'm soooooo impressed they got xrays from herc without sedation - if he doesn't want to be held you cannot do anything with him.
So healing thoughts to Herc!!
Thought I would write down everything so might help someone else's vet if they aren't experienced with degus
Should be a fun 2 weeks
He ended up worsening yesterday and looking sick so I took him straight in (he is my baby!)
well .... we did xrays - pneumonia in one lung (probably affecting both bronchial sides), extreme extreme bloating from gasping for air (his poor stomach was HUGE - did not feel that bad from the outside so I'm glad I did the xrays, I just about opted out of them.
We also found another issue since he is 5 years old now, his entire spine has spondysis which is bony bridges between his vertebrates. I thought he wasn't running on his wheel as much because he was getting older but it is because he is in pain from this. So he will be on longterm tramadol even after the lungs clear up.
So my hard to hold and medicate degu is on twice daily - dioctyl 0.2ml to move the gas through the system, tramadol 0.06ml of 10mg/ml for pain, azithromycin 0.06ml 200mg/5ml for antiobiotic and ciloxan 1 drop each nose. And we are also doing a once daily nebulizer treatment with an antiobiotic (F10) as well to help him breathe.
Soooo $550 later the little brat .... and I need to file down his teeth once he is feeling a bit better but they look very good for a 5 year old degu. at least my vet can do that without sedation since she is a great exotic vet. I'm soooooo impressed they got xrays from herc without sedation - if he doesn't want to be held you cannot do anything with him.
So healing thoughts to Herc!!
Thought I would write down everything so might help someone else's vet if they aren't experienced with degus
Should be a fun 2 weeks
Poor Herc. Feel for you, karma, re: giving medications. Difficult for both goo and owner. Hope he recovers with all the TLC.
