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Post by smithomatic on Oct 27, 2016 8:38:19 GMT
Hi everyone, it's been a couple years since I last posted. I hope everyone and their degus are well. I am just logging back in to share a recent health scare I had.
I have been keeping degus for some 7 years now. In this past year I have provided my degus with a small towel to sleep in (which they love!), However this might be the biggest mistake I have made in keeping degus.
The degus like to chew the towel and pull at the fine threads it creates. Last night one of my degus was sleeping in the towel and one of the fine threads wrapped around his leg and pulled tight. This prevented him from leaving the nest and caused him great distress. Not only this but through struggle he had caused the knot around his leg to pull tighter, the fine thread cutting into his leg and preventing blood supply. I was very lucky that I had a random trip home from work which I do not normally do. I found him and rushed him straight to the vet. They have removed the thread and treated the wound/provided pain killers. We will find out later today if he has to loose the leg due to it dying from lack of blood supply.
My guilt right now is all consuming.
I am not by any means telling people what to do but just want to make people aware of the potential problems providing fabrics could cause.
Thank you for reading
Josh
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Post by spottydegu on Oct 27, 2016 9:17:52 GMT
I hope he is ok! Don't blame yourself, it was a mistake and mistakes happen.
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 27, 2016 15:09:01 GMT
It is so good to see you!! I am so sorry that it comes as a result of such a traumatic event, however. This is a fear/concern that has lived in the back of my thoughts for some time. I am so glad that you came home and discovered his great distress and pain and could help him. I pray your intervention has come in time to preserve his leg!! Thank you for sharing this with us!!
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 27, 2016 16:39:38 GMT
What a horrible shock for you, Josh! The whole textile thing is such a temptation with them loving a bit of warmth and comfort so much, and the risk seems so small when taken on a daily basis, it's good to get a reminder of the risks. My girls seem to get their claws hanked up on toweling really easily, so I stopped using that, but they still had the odd fleece item, but then they just starting chewing everything fabric so I had to remove it all a couple of years ago. I don't think they miss it so much since I added the heater and the slot to place the heatpad below the nest.
Please try not to feel guilty, I think most people use fabrics, you were just unlucky, this is only about the second or third fabric problem I have come across in 6 years. Any news on the leg?
Good to see you!
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Post by smithomatic on Oct 29, 2016 9:15:01 GMT
Hello all,
Nice to see some old faces still active as ever!
The leg is still on at the moment, the good news is there has been some movement in it, which means the leg could not have died. It's still early days but the outlook seems positive for now. Just keeping up a course of anti biotics and pain killers.
Josh
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 29, 2016 11:12:31 GMT
Fingers crossed.
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Post by Bexi87 on Oct 29, 2016 18:56:36 GMT
Fingers crossed it continues to improve. What a scary experience
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Post by smithomatic on Nov 7, 2016 17:45:13 GMT
Unfortunately bad news this evening. Since last week he has been chewing his own toes off one at a time each night. Took him to the vets today to get him sorted and it was decided that nerve damage was too extensive and the whole leg need be removed.
I feel hard pressed to call it even a "hollow victory" but he has pulled through a successful surgery and is recovering well. But sadly my little friend will not be the same.
I will begin work very soon on an enclosure with much easier accesses so he is not left out from his brothers.
I feel so guilty still, it's hard to describe but it almost feels a mistake to go through with the surgery , perhaps having him put down would have been kinder. Just a snapshot of my honest feelings at this moment in time, perhaps I will gain clarity on this in the future.
Any 3 legged degu advice very welcome.
Josh
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Post by Bexi87 on Nov 7, 2016 18:45:10 GMT
I'm so sorry, I can only imagine the guilt you are feeling but remember that the vet wouldn't remove the leg if they didn't feel he could live on 3. Maybe add ramps with grips and sides so if he has a wobble he has something to grip and hopefully doesn't fall off? I'd watch him and see how he does, he may surprise you with his agility  |
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Post by randomname on Nov 7, 2016 19:05:33 GMT
I had a goo with a front half limb amputation (Stumpy) After he recovered, he went back in with the group of 4 others. At first he was a little slower & less active, but after 6 months he was no different. I didn't have to make any allowances for him in terms of cage, toys, access or care after he healed. He lived for a good 4 years after the op. His brothers treated him no different after he got on his feet (took about 3 months of solo living & healing)
I think it's always worth trying, euthanasia should always be last option. Imho you've done the right thing, but it's normal to feel bad for him. I promise he'll forget it before you do! (removal has to be better/kinder than the auto cannibalism!!
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Post by deguconvert on Nov 8, 2016 0:58:47 GMT
I'm so sorry there had to be an amputation! I know you are feeling really awful right now, and I know I would be as well if I were in similar circumstances. I hope you will see him rebound and be a truly healthy and energized little wonder!
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Post by bouncy on Nov 8, 2016 9:54:47 GMT
I'm so sorry to read this! I guess, thinking back to towels getting caught on the hedge from the washing line I can see how it could happen. It's a freak incident, though, and you shouldn't blame yourself for trying to make your clan snugly. Perhaps it would still work with something like fleece?
Don't worry about him living with three legs. Provided the wound heals OK, you probably won't even notice when he runs. Squidgy often tucks one leg up underneath him (love/hate relationship with another goo through bars), but you don't know unless he runs up to show you.
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Post by moletteuk on Nov 8, 2016 11:15:54 GMT
I'm really sorry to hear this. Try not to beat yourself up, it doesn't serve any purpose, it was just a freak accident and you have done absolutely everything you could since then for him (and his whole life).
Is it a front or back leg?
A couple of my degus have had back leg strains in the past, and the biggest issue for them was that they had to use a front leg to balance standing still which left them only one hand to eat with, which really affected their ability to select and eat food. So, I agree with the others that he will adapt and learn to get around on 3 legs really well, you might just need to keep an eye out for particular things that he struggles to figure out like eating and maybe weeing cleanly or grooming frustration.
We had a poorly degu earlier this year who declined over two or three months and got weaker, so we made all their ramps longer so the slope was shallower, made sure they were well gripped with grooves and wide so she didn't fall off. We also looked at all the jumps and big steps and made them all into sets of much smaller steps. I couldn't believe how well the changes worked and really wished I'd done it sooner. I use 95x18mm softwood planks with saw cut grooves every couple of cm for ramps now.
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