louwra
Burrowing Degu
Posts: 136
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Post by louwra on Apr 10, 2011 11:41:07 GMT
Just watched the vid, bless her I can see what you mean, could be severe bruising, got a feeling if it was broken she wouldnt be moving, could also be her pelvis She does look quite alert, thats a good sign as well
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 10, 2011 11:51:51 GMT
I think as she is looking better the only thing I'd want a vet to do would maybe give her some pain killers. I think an examination would only stress her out further as she dislikes being picked up full stop unless its on her terms (as in she wants to get somewhere out of reach!) and if she is broken then picking up and a car journey will be more painful... Will keep an eye during the week and if she shows no more improvement or goes downhill I might risk a trip to the vets if I can find one.
My thoughts exactly =) So far she is looking better in herself as time passes. She is jumping a little when someone walks past the room (she normally does that but didn't take any notice yesterday), she has got up for a little wonder round the cage more often today and generally just looks more alert. I keep offering her the water bottle every now and then to make doubly sure she is drinking and she does take a few sips, but seems to ignore food offered until a while later, as I leave it within reach.
One day at a time for now I think.
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 10, 2011 19:37:52 GMT
UPDATE!
Came home from getting my tattoo touched up and found Thai up and around the cage =) I watched as she pulled herself up to the highest shelf of the cage and then back down again. She is obviously slower than her normal self and seems to be dragging her back legs slightly.
She accepts water when offered, but still turning down treats except water soaked (so slightly soggy) bran flakes and she is nibbling the odd bit of hay. She even wanted to come out for a walk around this evening, though kept her within one corner so she couldn't go too far =)
24 hours after it happened and she is coming on leaps and bounds. Fingers are staying crossed though!
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Post by moletteuk on Apr 10, 2011 19:40:11 GMT
Hope she continues to improve x
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 10, 2011 19:45:40 GMT
Thank you =)
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Post by blossombrooks on Apr 10, 2011 20:15:12 GMT
That's nice to hear :-) she will prob be jumpy for a while. Hope she makes a full recovery!
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 10, 2011 20:32:09 GMT
She has always been jumpy, but she has been getting better and doesn't seem to have gone backwards after this, which is good.
Am thinking Dega liked sleeping alone in the hammock last night XP Thai is on the freshly heated heat pad down the bottom, while Dega is in the hammock watching Waking the Dead =) Hope she goes down with Thai at bedtime though, don't want Thai in the hammock all night.
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Post by lorrainekuk on Apr 11, 2011 18:58:15 GMT
I would imagine if there was any sort of break then she wouldn't be moving so well - she looks like she is getting around ok. Could just be a bit battered and bruised. I would consider getting/giving her some sort of pain killers as a precaution and don't allow her to climb etc for a few days just incase she has done some serious damage. This is the advice we were given with Torres' broken limb. She needs to be kept quiet and rest as much as possible. Because they have such a high pain threshold they may not show obvious signs of being in pain - I know Torres still tried to get in the wheel with a broken leg! Amazing how quickly he healed and we didn't need to keep him segregated as suggested for 6 weeks! You have to give it a good while before you are happy she isn't hurt. Really hope she keeps improving x
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 11, 2011 19:29:44 GMT
Thank you for that Lorraine =) I would love to give her some painkiller of some sort but getting her to eat anything at the moment is a challenge >.< She won't even accept sunflower seeds which she loves... I have made some of the rescue treats for sick degus mentioned on this forum, and sprayed some rescue stuff on my hands then got hold of her gently and covered her in it, and she has cleaned herself off without Dega's help so I know shes had that. She did munch some soggy bran flakes and wet goo food last night, but she won't touch the new treats (so Dega is now locked out of the cage - as she can't get enough of them! - to give Thai some chance to eat it without it being stolen). Will crush a small piece of paracetamol in water once I have seen her eat something and soak something in the water to try give her something, but won't be a lot!
She has tried to get in the wheel, but Dega ran in and Thai wasn't able. Think I'll take it out overnight, but not going to put things in place to stop her climbing as she'll just try harder =S Am also doing everything possible to not spook her so she feels safer on the bottom of the cage rather than going up.
Did get hold of her earlier and she let me have a thorough look (she did struggle, but I was very gentle and she could move, just not get away due to being in my lap with the fleece and my hands keeping her there). Her mouth and teeth look fine, no blood around her ears / eyes / nose / butt or anywhere on her, and she didn't wriggle or try to get away when I ran my fingers over her so theres nothing massively painful and obvious. The only thing I did notice was a white ooze coming from one of her eyes, looks a bit like conjunctive eyetis but white, and does rub off with a cotton bud - which she also let me do o.o
Fingers crossed that she scoffs some of the treats while she is in the cage alone! Dega has gone off squeeking somewhere so she'll be quiet as well.
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 12, 2011 16:16:08 GMT
Thank you Smux =) She seemed better last night - trying to get of the cage! - so will keep an eye and go from there. Won't have chance to get anywhere near a vets until at the least the weekend and she is looking a lot happier today, just stiff but she has had a stretch, so will wait and see if she continues to improve or not.
As per the CD cases, they can jump from one shelf to the next without using the bars and she is doing this by pulling herself up with her front legs =S So little short of boxing in the whole lower level of the cage, she isn't going to be stopped from climbing! And Dega loves plastic o.o Would work if these two weren't so darn clever or determined! Had to gently get Thai out of the wheel when I got in as well, though she was only walking.
White ooze isn't back today but she looks more awake and active so maybe it was just sleep. Going to try and get hold of her again today (she does try to get away but doesn't get very far and gives up quickly! Its the getting hold of her in the first place that is always the hardest bit! Current technique is to wait til shes in the sand bath or fleece bed and lift the whole lot out then get hold of her when theres nowhere to run) and get a better look in her mouth as she will nibble powdered things off my finger tip and drinks when I put the water bottle in front of her but won't take lumps of food. Doesn't look like Dega is eating much either as the food bowls I filled this morning are still pretty much full o.o See what happens later on =) May try and see if there is any peanut butter around that I can scrounge.
Thanks again though Smux, some helpful tips in there ^_____^ Hope all your little guys are doing well =)
PS: What does IIRC mean? =S
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 12, 2011 16:30:52 GMT
Am hoping so! Would just make me feel better if she'd eat something lol Will just keep an eye on them and keep heating up the heat pad and putting things in the cage to aid her in getting around =)
Poor Loki.... Glad he survived though!
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Post by moletteuk on Apr 12, 2011 18:12:45 GMT
I definitely wouldn't give paracetamol. It only takes about 15 tablets to kill a human in a very horrible way. Just not worth the risk and degus might not be able to process it at all.
Hope she starts eating a bit more soon. Is she drinking OK?
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 12, 2011 19:26:55 GMT
She is drinking, as she takes a good amount when I offer her the water bottle in the cage =) Shes just been out for a little run around and once shes back in the fleece or bath I'll get her out to try have another look in her mouth.
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 12, 2011 19:49:24 GMT
Shes feeling better............. Or is in a bitchy mood.......... ¬_¬
Another key digit on my right hand has been taken out of action =( I didn't even get chance to turn her over onto her back, wrapped in the fleece, before she lashed out.
I have left porridge oats and some fruity treats in their cage soaked in water along with hay and their food. No idea why shes not eating, there is absolutely nothing wrong with her teeth =(
Cowface....
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 12, 2011 19:50:40 GMT
"pregnant dogy" XP
The filter on here is amazing..................
Supposed to read b i t c * y
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 13, 2011 2:01:46 GMT
Have you seen any evidence of her weeing or pooing?
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 13, 2011 16:09:29 GMT
Its hard to tell with Dega in there as well, but she definitely did over saturday and sunday as Dega wasn't in the bottom half of the cage and when I cleaned out the kitchen roll there sunday is was yellow. Have seen her poop a few times (as she still insists on pulling it out with her mouth sometimes o.o)
I will keep a closer eye this evening. Any reason why you ask?
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louwra
Burrowing Degu
Posts: 136
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Post by louwra on Apr 13, 2011 17:08:37 GMT
The stuff you are after is Metacam and you can probably go into a vet's and buy a bottle fairly cheaply without having to pay for treatment, although most vets will probably refuse without seeing the degu, and will refuse to see the degu without being paid for it. Inform them that by refusing the degu the medicine, THEY are breaking the law by allowing the animal to remain in pain (an owner who willingly neglects their animal by refusing them required treatment would be held responsible, and you're doing your bit.. I think you will find that you wont be able to get medication like metacam, without a prescription, and only a qualified vet is entitled to give this. Instead of the vet breaking the law, you yourself will be at danger of breaking the law as you are witholding professional and qualified treatment to an animal. Human painkillers could very well kill the degu. Unless you are a vet , how do you know what the animal needs? Paracetemol attacks liver and kidneys, how would you guess the safe dose - if there is a safe dose! this little one needs to see the vet. There is obviously a problem, if she is pulling herself up, and not jumping? There is a white discharge and she is still not eating? And as a closing, I think there is a lot of dangerous advice been given lately and will make this my last post. Dominance hold on a degu? FFS You dont 'alpha-roll' a dog, never mind a small furry like a degu! Even the people who ''invented' this method have now said its rubbish, and is a sure way of getting bitten! Treat an animal with kindness, love and partience and they will trust you. Treat an animal with harsness and violence and you will only be treated with the same. Advising people to alpha-roll a degu and if he bites to smack him on the nose!! Good luck, hope Thai is going to be fine
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Post by Jaiye on Apr 13, 2011 18:49:22 GMT
Watching her over the last few days, I don't think the vet is going to be neccessary =) If I did want some painkillers or something for her, I would see the vet rather than just ask for metacam. No point in going all the way to the vet to ask for it without seeing them imo. Regardless, the vet was only going to be an option if she looked really bad, because I didn't want to stress her out with a car journey then a thorough investigation if she was already feeling bad =(
I did give her a tiny (salt grain) sized piece of paracetamol monday night, which she scoffed right down, and the same again yesterday morning and it didn't seem to do any harm. She hasn't had anymore as shes looked better since. She wandered around the room slowly, but ok, last night and bit me (how she normally does when I try to have a check on something) while trying to have a look at her teeth, didn't even have chance to do anything before she bit me, so just put her back in the cage rather than push my luck or tell her off (obviously monday she was more in a subdued mood).
As for the dominance hold, I've only ever done it when they were really really bad and only happened a few times when they were small until they learnt when it happened (after 3 stern "no's") and started behaving. The way I've done it over the past two days was to hold her gently in the fleece bed, and try hold her above my head, more looking up on her than flipping her over too much, or in my lap rolled on her side rather than all the way over. I described it as "dominance hold" for ease, sowwy for confusion..... =(
Kindness, love and patience I second! Thats what my lot always get unless they've been bad o.o
Got home this evening and she came straight to the bars looking for treats (which is the norm after work!) and ate 3 shelled sunflower seeds =) She has walked slowly on the wheel, and is jumping more than pulling this evening as well.
Hope your goos are doing well Louwra and thanks for your post =)
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 13, 2011 18:53:08 GMT
I was beginning to feel some worry that Thai might have some damage to her spine. I'm glad to hear that there is more jumping than pulling now! That IS a relief!
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