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Post by yasmin on Oct 28, 2015 17:50:29 GMT
History:
• November 2014: Had spurs growing towards tongue removed. • January 2015: Had spur removed.
And now: October 2015. I took Go to the vet today because she's been sitting all fluffed up the past few days and is selectively eating. I also found a bit of mushy poo but wasn't sure if it came from her or not. The vet, Dr. Auger, checked her mouth. She definitely had a spur growing toward/over her tongue. However, he also felt a 1 inch long mass in her lower abdomen. Spur was removed and an x-ray taken.
Good news: • She does not have spurs growing into her eye sockets, nasal cavities or down past her jaw line. • There is no sign of tumors elsewhere in her body.
I am to see if she starts eating again and report back to the vet on Monday.
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Post by winic1 on Oct 28, 2015 19:51:12 GMT
Oh no, hoping it was just the teeth bothering her and she perks up for you.
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 28, 2015 20:42:34 GMT
I really hope she perks up. Did Dr Auger mention any possibilites of what the mass could be? Could it still be a cyst or fatty deposit or something temporary she has swallowed, or are we talking tumour? I think it is excellent news that she doesn't have any root overgrowth, I think that is great news for your whole gang
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Post by bouncy on Oct 28, 2015 23:56:14 GMT
You're really not having much luck, at the moment, I'm so sorry I'm glad you had a positive outcome at the vet, though. Second Moletteuk's comment - any idea what the mass might be? A blockage, perhaps?
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Post by yasmin on Oct 29, 2015 1:24:23 GMT
Not sure what the mass is exactly – air in Go's bowel obscured getting a clear picture of it. It is about one inch long. Looked sausage-like to me but it was just one vague view of it. Dr. Auger said that it was not calcified (?) – not sure if this is the correct word, means something like hardened, our cat Jesper has an abdominal cyst-like lipoma attached to his abdominal wall that has calcified(?). Could be a tumor – might have to do with the intestine or a lymph node. Guess time, and possibly surgery if we go there, will tell.
I am to keep an eye on her eating - hopefully she will begin eating normally again. So far, she isn't eating much but she did take a couple of oats (4 oats to be exact, a small bit of squash and a bit of one of those Crock Completes). I am to call Dr. Auger on Monday to report on how she is doing. I guess we'll take it from there.
I so hope she gets back to eating normally soon – she has lost alot of weight and might also be dehydrated. Right now she is still all fluffed up but is no longer hiding away in the hut.
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Post by bouncy on Oct 29, 2015 2:18:39 GMT
Fingers crossed for you and yours x
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 29, 2015 14:31:48 GMT
How does she seem today? I am sorry I did not see this yesterday, I would have posted. I am glad the spur was removed and that there is no root growth. Did the vet help you know what to feel in Go's abdomen, so that you can also keep an eye on it? If you know what it feels like, then maybe you will be able to detect changes should they happen? I hope and pray it is something that clear without surgery!
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 29, 2015 15:34:08 GMT
Maybe try one of your mushy food recipes to get a little food and liquid into her?
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Post by yasmin on Oct 29, 2015 16:28:32 GMT
She will now eat thawed frozen peas and she will take water via syringe. Unfortunately, I have to work so I can't be there to feed her throughout the day. I put in an extra water bottle and a bowl of water, and hopefully she will start eating the regular food soon. She is still fluffed up though which worries me because being fluffed up is not the usual response to teeth issues. It's likely going to be another stressful weekend. Does anyone have experience with a degu with a tumour? What could cause this? Do degus recover quickly from surgery? Has anyone had their degus on steroids?
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 29, 2015 20:06:24 GMT
Did the vet say anything about the gas in her stomach? Is she mouth breathing? Could this be related to the spur? The drug simeticone can be used to help her pass the gas, you can use the human baby version as far as I know. Or some Critical Care might be helpful.
I understand that tumours are becoming more common in Germany, we have had very few on the forum. Personally, I would think very carefully before doing the surgery, in my experience of hamsters having surgery for tumours, the surgery hits them quite hard and the chances of regrowth are quite high. I don't know if it would be possible to do a biopsy to see if it's malignant or benign first.
I looked into steroids for Flossie when her breathing was worse. Prednisolone at 1 to 2mg/kg body weight once a day, subcutaneous or by mouth or Prednisone at 0.5 to 2.0mg/kg once a day SC, by mouth or Dexamethasone 0.5 to 2.0mg/kg by IV, SC, or IM (muscular injection). These come from 'Exotic Small Mammal Care and Husbandry' by Ron E Banks et al, also referring to Johnson (2002), and 'Leitsymptome bei Meerschweinchen, Chinchilla und Degu' by Anja Ewringmann & Barbara Glockner.
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Post by bouncy on Oct 29, 2015 21:58:11 GMT
I can add to that surgery experience - one of gerbils developed a tumor on his scent gland (common in older squeaks). He had surgery, and came back with a scar from chin to groin. He was nursed by his brother, who rebuilt the nest, brought food and water, and kept his wound clean. He recovered very well, and was soon trotting around in his wheel, but the tumour returned a couple of weeks later. There was no way I was going to put him through that again, and he was 5.......
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Post by yasmin on Oct 30, 2015 15:07:35 GMT
Thanks for your replies. (Wow, bouncy – a 5-year old gerbil! That is awesome.)
Go is still puffed up this morning but I did see her eat a bit on her own last night. This morning, she still took water from a syringe and ate a bit of peanut, a couple of oats and a sunflower seed when offered. Could not eat the dried pea flake – not enough but if she is eating on her own then there's some hope. It is her who is having the wet poo – she has a piece of paper glued on tight to her butt and tail. I could not pull it off. We will have to soak it and try and get it of that way.
The gas is in Go's intestines. I have used Ovol (stuff used for babies) for bloating and it works well. Not sure if it will help with intestinal gas. The vet did not say to use it. I will be going in on Monday with Yuu (see new thread) who is now sitting in a corner all fluffed up. I will ask him then.
I agree regarding having a biopsy performed before going to surgery if that is possible. I have had mice with external tumours that fared well after surgery – however, I agree that internal surgery is more tricky and that tumours often recur. I guess that all depends on what the mass is and the timing and the prognosis and the cost. Not sure what I will decide if it comes to that.
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 30, 2015 18:40:31 GMT
The Ovol is probably simeticone too, it works by making all the small bubbles coalesce into bigger bubbles that are then easier to burp out, so it possibly wouldn't be helpful if the gas is further down than the stomach.
Fingers crossed she will start eating a little more.
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Post by bouncy on Oct 30, 2015 23:37:01 GMT
I don't know if it's the same thing, but my sister swears by infacol for her (human) babies. The trick is apparently to give it to them just before feeding?
(and yes, most of my gerbil dudes have lived til 5)
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Post by yasmin on Oct 31, 2015 4:42:57 GMT
Go ate a piece of puffed rice tonight and is enjoying some thawed peas and some water (via syringe). She is still puffed up but is looking a bit brighter.
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Post by bouncy on Oct 31, 2015 8:10:11 GMT
That's good to hear and at least the peas will also have some fluids in them. You and hubby must be exhausted staying up all night with the goos.
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Post by yasmin on Oct 31, 2015 17:47:26 GMT
(Yes, we are exhausted - physically and emotionally.) This morning, Go would rather eat paper litter than almost anything I have to offer her. (Anyone know what that is about? Is she needing roughage?) She is not so bright again – fluffed up, looking very skinny. I did entice her to eat a bit of cooked sweet potato and some spray millet, and she still takes water from a syringe but she turns her nose up at Critical Care. I will be trying to feed her several times every hour and see if there's any hope for her.
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 31, 2015 17:55:02 GMT
Maybe she is looking for some roughage. Does she have any favourite hay or leaves or flowers? Fibre is best for getting the gut moving again. This is a bit gross, but if you can grab an 'eating' poo from one of the other goos, this would be good for her to eat. Shame she won't take any critical care.
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Post by yasmin on Oct 31, 2015 18:08:29 GMT
I put some alfalfa hay in front of her but she isn't eating it. The poo idea is a good one – I will try that.
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 31, 2015 20:11:23 GMT
Any word, did she eat the poo?
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