Very poorly degu again :(

[devotedtodegus]

Hi guys.

In November last year some of you may remember that I came back from holiday to find a very poorly degu. He was not eating and weezing...badly. His breathing was incredibly strained and I rushed him straight down the vets. His lungs where totally congested and he was given strong oral antibotics. He was rapidly losing weight and put onto critical care. I offered him food every couple of hours and tried everything I could think of. With no improvement on antibiotics he was anestatised so the vets could check his teeth and airways for an obstruction. We had no lukc and sadly he had reapidly deteriated. He became listless and was no strong enough to be put under anestetic again so I made the descion to have him pts, he was 3.

Well one of his brother is now suffering exacally the same fate. He is still eating but his breathing is incredibly strained and weezy. His breathing is very loud and auidble. Again I took him down the vets today and he is on antibiotics for the next week unless he starts losing weight then I need to take him back again.

The symptoms and onset are identical to last time. There is no discharge or drooling etc and the vet believes it is comig from lower lungs.

I can't believe I have to watch another Degu wither away under identical circumstances. He also has two brothers and I'm worried they will suffer the same. Fingers crossed the antibiotics work but last time they had no effect at all. They are bedded in a dust free enviroment.

Gutted I'm going to lose another one who is only 4 x x

[moletteuk]

I'm really sorry to hear that

Could the vet get a culture of the infection with the aim of trying a more specific antibiotic? Baytril is usually given, but Septrin is safe for degus, and we have another member who has tried another antibiotic, I think it is definitely something you could ask your vet about.

[yasmin]

How alarming for you. I hope the antibiotic works – wonder what it is? Any chance that it's asthma (lower respiratory involvement, lack of drooling/discharge)? My two Tonkinese cats have asthma; they're brothers but one started having problems years before the other. They're both on Flovent (inhaler) and it's under control. I've never heard of a Degu with asthma but, if it is asthma, it might be treatable with a corticosteroid/prednisone or a herbal immune system soother.

[devotedtodegus]

Thank you for all your thoughts. Vets are pretty clueless without really invasive diagnostics or surgery they cant tell. Just so upset that my second Goo is suffering in exacally the same way as the first Unfortunately the breathing has deterioated so rapidly in both cases that anestatic is incredibly risk :/ Im hoping the antibiotics might work but last time they made absolutely no difference, kept praying they would but made none at all

[deguconvert]

Can you tell us what antibiotic you are using with him?

[devotedtodegus]

Baytril x

[moletteuk]

Well, if you think it is the same infection that didn't respond to baytril last time, then it is definitely worth considering trying a different one, the next choice is usually Septrin, you could ask your vet about it.

[devotedtodegus]

The think is we are kind of in the dark. The breathing is so bad that anestetic for further investigation is really risky. The breathing rapdily deterioated. Also although there is an underlying infection it looks secondry to something else. Its not upper respiratory, not drool or discharge it sounds lower lung ish. Just so devestated I have to watch another deteriote so quickly. feel powerless x x

[deguconvert]

Sounds like pneumonia . . . which in my mind is even stronger support for the use of a stronger antibiotic . . . one that the vet could comfortably issue with an injection as well as through oral dosage. I think the sooner you ask your vet the better for your degu . . . even a little more fight on the degus side is better than not. Yes?

[devotedtodegus]

Ok had an emergency appointment. He's now on stronger antibiotics. However due to the fact that neither are his brother nor him have responded to antibiotics the vet believe that pnemonia is likely to be secondry to something underlying. Particulalry because both appeared unable to eat despite teeth and respiratory track being ok. Vet putting some thought into it to try figure it out before his deterioates x

[Kins]

Oh dear, how worrying and upsetting for you.

I don't have any advice to add I'm afraid, just wanted to say that I'll be thinking of you and your goo.

[devotedtodegus]

So we are on day six of anti-biotics. He is maintaining his weight thankfully and is still eating giving us more time to try and figure this out as weight loss and time went against us last time. Whilst he is no worse ati-biotics have not made a slight bit of difference. Another vets appointment on fri just pray the antibiotics start taking some effect x

[yasmin]

At least he's maintaining his weight. It can take weeks for an antibiotic to do its job (one of my degus was on Baytril for a bladder infection. She didn't show signs of recovery until Day 10).

I pray that the antibiotics do work. What was his brother unsuccessfully treated with? If it was Baytril then I would seriously consider switching to Septrin as moletteuk suggested and/or go for a more aggressive strategy like deguconvert suggested (antibiotic shot coupled with oral antibiotics). All antibiotics are not created equal – if the sort of bacteria (assuming it's bacterial) can be determined, then the antibiotic that works best against that organism can be determined. Otherwise, try everything you can.

If it's viral, then the antibiotics will keep at bay any secondary infections that might weaken him. Then it will be up to his body to fight the virus.

If the situation becomes dire (I pray that this will not be the case), I would insist that some sort of immune system suppressant like Prednisone or some other corticosteroid or immune-system calmer be tried. It could be an asthmatic condition or other autoimmune issue. Though I've heard that degus don't deal with corticosteroids very well if it's a matter of life or death, it might be worth the try if all else fails.

I sincerely hope that he recovers soon. Until then, he's in my thoughts and prayers.

[devotedtodegus]

Thank you very much for your contribution Yasmin. I have a vets appointment tomo eve and will be taking all considerations with me. Sadly this morning his repsiratory condition seems to have deterioated. Although weight still holding. Had to weight for appointment to see the same vet as want to be consitant so she can comment on any improvement/ worsening in breathing, weight, activeness. Very worried now x

[devotedtodegus]

Hi all.

Visited the vets again Friday eve to discover he has dropped weight. He is struggling to eat and his breathing has not improved at all. There are several probable causes, infection, teeth, inflammation or obstuctive mass (tumour/ foreign body). The gut feeling is that this is not an infection. All clues point to the teeth but the symptoms are idnetical to his brothers but his teeth where fine. He has been given a steriod injection which will be effective only till Monday. As yet he shows no improvement. Clueless and devestaed. Broke down in front of the vet in tears Friday what am I doing wrong to loose two goos. Vet believes it sounds like an obsturction/ narrowing of air ways and also something is preventing him eating properly. Steriods should help any inflammtion. I think the it was; dextramethasone. Really struggling at mo, he is active but loosing weight fast! Whats going wrong?? x x

[moletteuk]

Oh dear, I'm very sorry things aren't going better, and I'm really sorry I don't have any good ideas to offer, I just wanted to say I'm thinking of you and sending best wishes.

[yasmin]

How is he today? Dexamethasone should have helped if it was an inflammatory or autoimmune issue. I can't think of what else it might be assuming that he and his brother are suffering from the same condition. But if there was no obstruction in his brother's case, and no teeth issue, then is it indeed an infection? Why does your vet think it is not an infection? Or could it be a fungus? Now I'm just grabbing at straws but...I so wish a treatment can be found that works.

I so hope he is doing better today. Please let us know. (And please don't even think of blaming yourself. You are doing all you can.)

[Kins]

I'm so sorry to hear about all your troubles.

I've broken down in front of our vets on many occasions. It just shows how much you care. You are doing all you can which is to be applauded! Your goo is lucky to have you.

I don't have any help or advice I'm afraid, just wanted to say that I really hope things improve.

I'll be thinking of you!

[devotedtodegus]

Hi. Thank you for your comments. Dexamethasone hasn't made any difference at all. Also changed all cage/ bedding/ litter in case it is a severe allergy or something silly. His symptoms, breathing, the way he can barley eat, the nibbling, the weight loss...everything done to to every detail is excaclly the same. Not sure why vets doesnt think its an infection think its because his breathing sounds obstructed? And infection wouldn't account for not being able to eat (but then neither does anything else...?) The vet believes we are looking at foreign body, obstruction, masses, tumours something along them lines. I just wish we knew How can it be identical to his brothers dont know what to do now. vets run out of ideas. he is losing weight at a fair rate and can't breath, am facing the liklihood of taking him to having him pts tomo eve. just dont know what to do? xxx

[yasmin]

I can only imagine what you are going through. I am trying to think what I would do. I wouldn't pts just yet (but then again I can't see him or experience his suffering). I would probably go get a second opinion first. I so, so, so want him to pull through this!