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Post by ashpash on Jan 21, 2023 2:03:08 GMT
I was just opening the cage to feed them and noticed one of our 6 males lying on his side...my husband picked him up and started strocking his belly and back. He started squeaking but was very out of it for a minute or 2 untill he wanted to get up out of my husband's head. We placed him back in the cage and he ran up the cage to his bed.we are watching him but scarded and very frustrated there is no exotic that take degus after hours. I did notice he had chewed up alot of his black tray in cage(critter nation) could that be the cause? What else can we do? We have ordered the metal trays but not here till next week.
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Post by teemu on Jan 21, 2023 2:24:28 GMT
Is he behaving normally now? Degus will often lie down and sleep on their side if they are feeling comfortable, so just seeing him keeled over is not necessarily dangerous. If he seems normal now, and is eating, then do monitor him, but it might not be a serious situation. If he does seem sluggish, pained or otherwise abnormal, then something could be going on.
About the trays, are they plastic? If they are, is it possible for you to either remove them or to cover them so that the degus can't chew them? Plastic furnishings in the cage can be dangerous because degus will chew them, and plastic can cause an intestinal blockage, which is very often fatal.
For now, monitor him and see if he will eat food or any treats he normally likes and try to see whether or not he seems to be behaving abnormally.
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Post by yasmin on Jan 21, 2023 3:01:02 GMT
The only at-home treatable issue that it possibly might be is bloat or gastric torsion. They may lie stretched out or on their side to relieve the pain the gas is causing.
Even if he is not bloated at the moment, I would recommend a trip to the pharmacy to purchase a bottle of Simethicone (for human babies with gas) if you don't have any on hand.
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Post by ashpash on Jan 21, 2023 4:42:22 GMT
It almost appears like a seizure, he litrally wont stand up or react to touch for 2-3 mins every hour than runs around like normal.im so upset with the emergency animal hospital said they don't deal woth them and they could euthize if I would like but that's it. I was livid! How much would I give him of that med?
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Post by ashpash on Jan 21, 2023 4:47:49 GMT
He is eating normally between and playing..he ate a donut
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Post by ashpash on Jan 21, 2023 5:13:09 GMT
The only at-home treatable issue that it possibly might be is bloat or gastric torsion. They may lie stretched out or on their side to relieve the pain the gas is causing. Even if he is not bloated at the moment, I would recommend a trip to the pharmacy to purchase a bottle of Simethicone (for human babies with gas) if you don't have any on hand. It almost appears like a seizure, he litrally wont stand up or react to touch for 2-3 mins every hour than runs around like normal.im so upset with the emergency animal hospital said they don't deal woth them and they could euthize if I would like but that's it. I was livid! How much would I give him of that med?
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Post by ashpash on Jan 21, 2023 5:13:51 GMT
Is he behaving normally now? Degus will often lie down and sleep on their side if they are feeling comfortable, so just seeing him keeled over is not necessarily dangerous. If he seems normal now, and is eating, then do monitor him, but it might not be a serious situation. If he does seem sluggish, pained or otherwise abnormal, then something could be going on. About the trays, are they plastic? If they are, is it possible for you to either remove them or to cover them so that the degus can't chew them? Plastic furnishings in the cage can be dangerous because degus will chew them, and plastic can cause an intestinal blockage, which is very often fatal. For now, monitor him and see if he will eat food or any treats he normally likes and try to see whether or not he seems to be behaving abnormally. It almost appears like a seizure, he litrally wont stand up or react to touch for 2-3 mins every hour than runs around like normal.im so upset with the emergency animal hospital said they don't deal woth them and they could euthize if I would like but that's it. I was livid! How much would I give him of that med?
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Post by teemu on Jan 21, 2023 12:13:41 GMT
The amount is small, some drops or a similar small amount depending on the strength. Simethicone is a medicine they use to ease stomach issues in small children. It should help any gas that might have accumulated to release.
The behavior you are describing sounds abnormal, so try to get him a vet visit as soon as possible. Until then, I'm afraid that you can only observe, try to see if the simethicone helps and check that he is eating and drinking. Is he still behaving the same way?
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Post by moletteuk on Jan 21, 2023 13:57:43 GMT
Degus can have seizures, it's important to try to find a vet that can help. The more seizures they have the more likely they are to have more seizures. It is possible to treat them with phenobarbitol, but they then have to stay on the medication for life. I had a degu treated this way successfully for around a year. Try to make sure the cage is safe for him having a seizure when you aren't around.
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Post by deguconvert on Jan 22, 2023 4:01:00 GMT
He is eating normally between and playing..he ate a donut Ate a donut? As in as pastry? Or a plastic toy donut?
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Post by moletteuk on Jan 22, 2023 10:48:42 GMT
I've seen donut shaped treats, I presume it's one of those.
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