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Post by moletteuk on Apr 16, 2017 12:00:40 GMT
I also think there has been a slow decline that was disguised by his fluffed up fur - which is something they do when they don't feel well. The most weight I have known a degu lose in 24hrs is about 20g.
If you can persuade a vet to give you metacam painkiller and Critical Care food, that would tide you over until you can find an exotic vet to properly consult with on Monday/ Tuesday.
Since, we suspect a dental issue, I really encourage you to try some soft food, he clearly wants to eat, so he might lap it right up voluntarily. It would allow him to take on more calories for less effort and potentially less pain to eat.
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nhoa
Newborn Degu
Posts: 18 
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Post by nhoa on Apr 16, 2017 12:01:04 GMT
Make sure he's pooping too. He is  |
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Post by winic1 on Apr 16, 2017 12:59:22 GMT
Keep him warm, by holding on your body, by adding a heat pad like a Snugglesafe or hot water bottle or whatever you can. A lamp shining on one corner of the cage. (Do make sure he can move away if the heatpad or lamp area is too warm for him). It takes a lot of energy to just keep your body warm, if you help with that, it takes some of the stress off of him.
Then, just keep encouraging him to eat and drink, so that he has enough food going in to keep him going until you can get him to the vet.
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nhoa
Newborn Degu
Posts: 18
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Post by nhoa on Apr 16, 2017 17:03:44 GMT
Hello again. Just came home from work and foun a more active Jack, although he still seems a little bit sluggish. I have put him back in his cage with Gus and put some food in their trough. I found Jack being bossy at Gus, eating. So by now it seems he is coming back to normal life. He evens stands on two feet when I approach the cage. I just wanted to thank you all for your quick answers and your help today. I will take them to the vet and have them checked.  |
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Post by Bexi87 on Apr 16, 2017 17:21:52 GMT
I would continue to care for him as if he was really ill - remember he is a rodent and will do everything he can to hide it. Get some high calorie food into him if you can, nuts and seeds, to get his weight back up. I'd also get him to a vet as soon as possible and make sure they have a heat pad they can use. Glad he seems to have turned a corner |
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Post by degulover21 on Apr 16, 2017 19:43:48 GMT
I've been following the post most of the day, I'm glad he's picked up abit.please keep us updated and try to get him to vet when you can.
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 17, 2017 1:26:55 GMT
Do keep monitoring him frequently and keep on caring for him as though he is really ill. He needs to put on some weight. Weight loss can be missed easily because of fluffing fur, and his loss is quite dramatic. He needs lots of calories, so don't be limiting him. Oil seeds such as sunflower, millet, pumpkin, and flax, nuts like pecan, walnut, brazil, almond, and hazelnut are all helpful.
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nhoa
Newborn Degu
Posts: 18
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Post by nhoa on Apr 18, 2017 14:05:58 GMT
Hello again! Sorry I didnt update before. We were at the vet yesterday and found nothing. Apparently his teeth are ok. However, Jack's temperature is 33C° and he weights 102gr, so both things are quite low!!
The main problem is that the vet has 0 experience with degus. They are not very common in Spain, and it is quite difficult to find products and info about them.
This afternoon I have to go again to the vet to have Jack checked again.
Will post soon with any news.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2017 14:28:56 GMT
Did he check his molars or just front teeth?
You'll need X-rays to definitely determine problems like overgrown roots.
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 18, 2017 16:04:59 GMT
Thank you for the update, Nhoa!
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Post by moletteuk on Apr 18, 2017 16:28:42 GMT
Ask the vet to check his molar teeth with an otoscope. Full body Xrays might help, but sedation might be a significant risk with him so underweight. Get some Oxbow Critical Care or Supreme Recovery food from the vet so you at least have the right emergency food to keep him comfortably fed. A lot of degu issues are similar to other small herbivores, so an interested vet is better than no vet. Good luck today.
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nhoa
Newborn Degu
Posts: 18
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Post by nhoa on Apr 18, 2017 19:38:49 GMT
Hello again! Just left the vet now. Jack' been checked through a blood test, also glucose test and poop test. His teeth have been checked too, although not with x-ray as the vet was concerned about Jack's health, I mean worried Jack did not survive the anesthesia.
He has been given some I.V. as his glucose level was low (2.8). Before the glucose level we thought it could be diabetes due to the huge weight loss etc.
No parasytes have been found neither.
Jack seems much better now after the IV.
We have reached the conclusion that this may be caused by the owner's change. Let me explain this: Before I adopted Jack & Gus, they were fed with hamster food. I feed them with nature Degu food. Hamster food is rocher in sugar and seeds than degus food. I think it may be possible that Jack was so used to that level of glucose and protein that he suffered a glucose fall. And Gus hasn't because he didn't get to eat most of those treats as Jack is the one who eats first and takes everything he wants. What do you think? Could this be possible?
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Post by yasmin on Apr 19, 2017 0:52:45 GMT
I have no experience with this but I think this could be possible. You have a good vet. An X-ray would be risky with him in such rough shape. Did your vet suggest you do anything differently? Is Jack at risk for this to happen again? Glad that Jack is doing much better. |
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 19, 2017 5:33:25 GMT
I don't know what to think, but like Yasmin said, it could be possible. Did you instantly start them with the new food when you brought them into your home?
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nhoa
Newborn Degu
Posts: 18
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Post by nhoa on Apr 19, 2017 10:05:46 GMT
I don't know what to think, but like Yasmin said, it could be possible. Did you instantly start them with the new food when you brought them into your home? Yes I did. I knew they were fed with hamster food and read that kind of food was not good for them, so I bough Nature Degu food (Versele Laga) and gave that to them as soon as I brought them home. My fault was just thinking in improving their diet, and I didn't even think of doing a food change little by little. |
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nhoa
Newborn Degu
Posts: 18
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Post by nhoa on Apr 19, 2017 10:08:56 GMT
I have no experience with this but I think this could be possible. You have a good vet. An X-ray would be risky with him in such rough shape. Did your vet suggest you do anything differently? Is Jack at risk for this to happen again? Glad that Jack is doing much better. After all the tests we did and reaching that conclusion, we agreed that I should try now to give him some oil seeds and food that help him gain weight again. When he is better, we will have him checked again. |
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Post by moletteuk on Apr 19, 2017 10:20:22 GMT
I think it sounds like the vet has been thorough.
I think you could try offering a lot of different foods so that Jack has the opporunity to select for himself for a couple of weeks. So lots of forage, all different types, whatever you can pick or get hold of, fresh stuff would be great. Also the oil seeds like you mentioned, high calcium ones also some high fat ones like linseed and milk thistle. Nuts. A few grains, millet, maybe a few oats or barley. Dried veg can be well liked by some degus and have some sugar content in a natural form. Maybe a few peas, mung or moth beans, or perhaps alfalfa could be a really good way to give some higher protein but together with fibre so it is more appropriate for him.
I know in humans that your body can adjust to expect a certain quantity of carbs, so if that suddenly changes it can cause problems, people who really reduce their carb intake can be more at risk of glycaemic issues becuase their body can lose the ability to process them properly.
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