very very poorly ursula :-(

[gemmagreaves]

Hi sorry ive not been on here for so long ive just finished my masters degree and it got a bit hectic up to hand in date! ive had to get ursula booked into the vet later today - shes got crusted blood around her rectum and theres pools of very runny bloody poo around the cage. shes severly underweight again and i found a really odd maggot like thing on the shelf of her cage which, using my forensic kit, managed to contain ready to go to the vets with her. its like a small maggot type shape, no head or rear to suggest it would be a living thing, but its slightly clear and covered in specks of blood. i have no idea what it is, its about 7mm in length and uniform in shape, kind of jelly-like when it sticks to the side of the container ive put it in. she was fine yesterday, slightly underweight but for those of you who have been on here a while you'll know that that is kind of the norm for her! her diets not changed, shes still eating, does anyone have any idea what it could be? im starting to worry because shes so underweight all the time that one day im sure the vet will suggest putting her down :-(

[deguconvert]

Oh honey!! Poor Ursula, (and Norman and you!) she sounds rather bad. I'm glad you have her booked with the vet, and that you were able to collect that odd bit of . . . something. I hope it will be useful in identifying what it happening. You must be feeling so concerned and worried. I'll be thinking of you, and waiting to hear what has developed. Hugs to you.

[gemmagreaves]

Hi thanks deguconvert - turns out its yet another infection - he thinks - it wasnt the same vet and he kept referring to a little book as he didnt know much about degus - he didnt even know they werent allowed sugar - but he thinks that because shes always struggles to keep weight on that its made her immune system weaker and therefore shes prone to infections - so shes on more baytril. he thought that odd 'thing' was mucus which was a nice thought !!!! however she was so miffed about having the antibiotics that she immediately started trying to pull her claws out when i put her back in her cage! she wiped her nose a few times and then really started tugging at her front claws! i swear shes mad its like self harming! all the tops of her front paws are furless where shes overgroomed, shes got holes in her ears that occured when she was attacked last summer, shes got a scar across the top of her nose that is furless, and barely any claws, she looks really rugged! but very adorable! the vet did suggest separating her from norman as he thought that might help but im really reluctant to do this because they do everything together - what do you think? xx

[deguconvert]

If he is thinking to help her, separating her isn't the right thing. Knowing how attached they are to each other, I think she would start pining so badly that she would just go down hill even faster. Definitely not a way to promote her recovery. I would definitely leave her in with Norman.

If you can do it, I would also make her some of the recipe for food for recovery/weight gain. It's in the feeding and treats board.

[gemmagreaves]

yeah thanks i'll give them another go, problem is i'll end up eating them myself! i thought as much with urs and norm as they're inseperable - they bicker and argue regularly and snuggle up together she'd be lost without someone to verbally abuse! and my god is she vocal! poor normans ear drums sometimes! :-)