Post by Sunshinemeg on Sept 8, 2005 20:52:25 GMT
I am writing this looking back on it all now, and warn you before you read on that it does contain graphic images that had me very upset at the time.
Before I continue, I will point out that Marmalade is still with us, grumpy as always but otherwise doing well.
The saga began back in February when we heard an awful fight break out in the degu cage. Rushing into the room we found Marmalade huddling from Charlie. As you can see from the image, he was in a horrible condition.
I quickly scooped him up out of the cage, suffering bites from Charlie, who was still trying to get at him. Marmalade on the other hand made very little movement, and this had me very worried.
At first glance it seems that he has lost the eye, and this is what we thought as we rushed him to the vet. He was admitted to the surgery on the spot, and we had an anxious few hours waiting by the phone at home. When out vet did get in touch with us we were told he had suffered only minor scratches to the eyeball, and all the blood had come from the eyelids. The upper lid had been trimmed in theatre, and a few dissolvable stitches put in.
He came home to us a day later looking like this:
He had to go into a seperate part of the cage, and was very sorry for himself.
We though Charlie was sorry too, as he spent a great deal of time talking to Marmalade through the bars. However, whenever we had to open the door that gave access to Marmalade, it also gave some access to the main part of the cage, and at these moments Charlie would become very aggressive, trying to get at Marmalade.
Marmalade had to have his eye cleaned with a damp tissue 3 times a day, and gel to stop the eye drying out had to be dotted on. on top of this he had to have oral medicine via a needle free syrine. We had to take to doing this with him wrapped in a tea towel as he hated it so much.
Once the eye got better, on his final check up with the vet, we thought he had suffered a stroke, as he was dragging his back legs. Back to the vet we went, to be told he had damaged his back. At home his shelf in his part of the cage had to be removed, and Marmalade got even grumpier!
Once the back was better we decided Charlie had to go as they just didnt like each other, and Marmalade had already been through too much to be re-homed. So Marmalade went back in with Gromit, Charlie went to Birmingham!
So Marmalade was finally better? Oh no.
A week later we looked in on him, and thought, as male degus have the habit, that he had been "washing his parts"! so to speak. only they didnt go away!
Back to the vet, vedict - prolapsed penis!!! treatment? rub K Y Jelly on it twice a day!
Only problem? he liked the taste! and licked it even more!
But you will be pleased to hear, that while marmalade is now far more grumpy, all conditions mentioned here are better!
Oh is the life of a degu!!!
meg ;D
Before I continue, I will point out that Marmalade is still with us, grumpy as always but otherwise doing well.
The saga began back in February when we heard an awful fight break out in the degu cage. Rushing into the room we found Marmalade huddling from Charlie. As you can see from the image, he was in a horrible condition.
I quickly scooped him up out of the cage, suffering bites from Charlie, who was still trying to get at him. Marmalade on the other hand made very little movement, and this had me very worried.
At first glance it seems that he has lost the eye, and this is what we thought as we rushed him to the vet. He was admitted to the surgery on the spot, and we had an anxious few hours waiting by the phone at home. When out vet did get in touch with us we were told he had suffered only minor scratches to the eyeball, and all the blood had come from the eyelids. The upper lid had been trimmed in theatre, and a few dissolvable stitches put in.
He came home to us a day later looking like this:
He had to go into a seperate part of the cage, and was very sorry for himself.
We though Charlie was sorry too, as he spent a great deal of time talking to Marmalade through the bars. However, whenever we had to open the door that gave access to Marmalade, it also gave some access to the main part of the cage, and at these moments Charlie would become very aggressive, trying to get at Marmalade.
Marmalade had to have his eye cleaned with a damp tissue 3 times a day, and gel to stop the eye drying out had to be dotted on. on top of this he had to have oral medicine via a needle free syrine. We had to take to doing this with him wrapped in a tea towel as he hated it so much.
Once the eye got better, on his final check up with the vet, we thought he had suffered a stroke, as he was dragging his back legs. Back to the vet we went, to be told he had damaged his back. At home his shelf in his part of the cage had to be removed, and Marmalade got even grumpier!
Once the back was better we decided Charlie had to go as they just didnt like each other, and Marmalade had already been through too much to be re-homed. So Marmalade went back in with Gromit, Charlie went to Birmingham!
So Marmalade was finally better? Oh no.
A week later we looked in on him, and thought, as male degus have the habit, that he had been "washing his parts"! so to speak. only they didnt go away!
Back to the vet, vedict - prolapsed penis!!! treatment? rub K Y Jelly on it twice a day!
Only problem? he liked the taste! and licked it even more!
But you will be pleased to hear, that while marmalade is now far more grumpy, all conditions mentioned here are better!
Oh is the life of a degu!!!
meg ;D
