Our worst nightmare came true

[misscatafer]

To be honest I have been wondering about her teeth for a while. Her two bottom teeth have been growing increasingly into a V shape, becoming more and more separate. Her top teeth are also always looking jagged and chipped. I have assumed this was as she doesn't chew much.. She has been eating absolutely fine prior to this incident and gaining weight at each weigh in so I thought her teeth couldn't be troubling her. I researched the V teeth and found it can be common in inbred goos unfortunately but can be that way without causing trouble. I will book her in for another check up as she starts to recover. Maria didn't use a scope today but did have a look at the teeth and mouth and wasn't concerned. To be honest I attended that appointment with 27 hours no sleep - so wasn't in the mood for many questions, my priority was her leg and weight.

So today has been worrying at times. She still hadn't eaten anything by 1230, and was attempting to climb round the cage like there was nothing wrong whilst causing herself immense pain in the process. I honestly thought she wouldn't make it through today. Due to this we made the difficult decision to force feed her the pain relief and anti biotic, which was of course very distressing for us all. We then let her rest in the carrier again. She had about an hour sleep, then was scrabbling to get out. I put her back in the cage and she immediately had a long drink hurrah! She still wasn't eating and went to sleep with Toby. She then woke up around 3 and had another drink - she then ate!! Piece of walnut and some rice puffs now she is back to sleep again...still looking extremely poorly but getting there.

I am now on almost 36 hours no sleep from this... Literally haven't left Boos side since coming home from work this morning. Just want her to be OK

[winic1]

If she has bites around her mouth, it may hurt her to chew and eat. Can you grind up some of the walnut or her favorite seeds, and offer it to her on a tiny spoon or popsicle stick, or something easy for her to just take it from? You can also mix her medicine into a little bit of ground nut or seed, to make a sort of lump or paste, that makes it easy for her to eat and swallow without much chewing.

[moletteuk]

So sorry to hear about this, you are doing everything you can though now, hang in there - you and Boo.

Have you got any critical care or recovery plus? If you need to restrain her to guarantee getting the meds in, you could try syringe feeding her a little at the same time. I think if she is running around then she still sounds pretty strong and I think her starting to take an interest in food again is great and she might just take some coaxing - try offering her anything she likes, dried veg, oats, puffed rice, nuts, dandelion root, Critical Care on dried pea flakes, anything like that. I think if she is drinking then she should start wanting to eat too. Has she got any forage favourites, maybe fresh grass?

If the wounds need bathing or a liquid spray would be easier then you can use F10SC or F10 antiseptic diluted to 1:250. The ointment should be good, the effect will last longer than a bathing or rinse with the fluid.

[misscatafer]

I was offered critical care but thought I would try feeding her up first. She is showing signs of being in pain whilst eating but I am literally just offering her everything and seeing what she chooses every time she shows signs of activeness. She has now had some linseed, pumpkin seeds and a sunflower seed. Toby is like a hoover, eating anything she leaves.... But I suppose he would benefit from the food too at the moment as he is injured himself. She just spent about 10 minutes 'weeping' loudly at the girls below, definitely sounded like some kind of call, maybe a warning? So she still has her fiestiness I see!

[misscatafer]

She weighs 212g this morning yay!! Still unable to put any weight on her leg, still looking very scrawny, eyes still droopy and still making that crunching noise with her teeth. She is much brighter in herself and even made an attempt to hobble away from me when I went in to pick her up for meds time. Wounds all look clean, she is going to have a tremendous hole in her left ear, I might have to buy her an earring.

[moletteuk]

Glad she is doing OK this morning.

I just wanted to ask how it happened - did they breach the divider?

[Deleted]

Nov 14, 2017 11:33:20 GMT moletteuk said:

Glad she is doing OK this morning.

I just wanted to ask how it happened - did they breach the divider?

Someone chewed a hole in the plastic floor I believe?

[misscatafer]

She's literally improving before my eyes, every time I look her coat looks shinier and her eyes a bit brighter

They chewed through the plastic shelf Molette there was a corner left exposed and whilst we were away they must've gone to town on it... I reckon it probably took them 2 or three hours to get through. They must have seized the opportunity that we were away to do it... It's terrible. We are now seriously looking at a self build... I have contacted someone for quotes on a variation of this:

[Deleted]

You're local to me aren't you misscatafer ? Seeing as Cal won't build me a giant cage, I'd love to get someone to build me something like this for my birthday.

Could you PM me please?

She's looking good!!! She doesn't look like she's had a rough few days at all. ❤ I'm glad she's getting better. Phew!

[misscatafer]

Yes of course! Well Rob seems confident he would be able to do it... He plans to buy the bottom bit from Ikea then build the rest on top, we'd probably have a dark wood variation to match our lounge. We would have 5 levels within the cage, with the third level split in half with a removable glass panel which could slide in and out on grooves. But I have contacted some local joiners just for some quotes just for an idea, even if they can do the body of it for us. It's such a shame Cal won't do it.... What if you pay??

I'm just on pins with this cage now, as once they learn something, they do not forget... So now they know if they chew plastic they might come across more degus to either bully or interact with. I've covered every single inch of the shelving on the top level with either glass, baking trays and wood... But I'm still paranoid.

She is looking better that dark patch on her cheek is a bite too.. Ive noticed her cleaning around her mouth and legs alot today so she must be slowly building up the strength to tend to her wounds etc. Toby has also been grooming her in places where the bites are, I'm confident he knows exactly what to do to help her out.

[misscatafer]

Oh I have a question too. She keeps itching the side of her face where she has a less severe bite, and a few times she has chosen to lie on a pumice stone, or chew the one hanging up then roll in the debris from this... Anything I can do to help her with this?

[Deleted]

What about if you covered the bottom side of each level with mesh? So even if they chew through they'll be faced with metal mesh through which they can only nip each other if at all depending on the awkwardness of where the hole forms?

Big effort though.

He won't do it to be fair because he has nowhere to do it lol. Outside isn't really an option now it's winter. He said if he had a work space like a big shed he would. 🙄

No clue why she's doing that, maybe she wants a bath? I wouldn't give her one until you're sure everything is sufficiently scabbed over that sand isn't gonna get trapped. X

[savvy]

It's probably itching a little, it's the body's way of removing the debris so the new skin can grow underneath. The only thing you can do is let her get on with it and keep checking to make sure there's no infection etc.

I'd be a paranoid wreck if it happened to me. I'm so glad she's improving.

It may not have taken them that long to chew through, Pixie managed to chew through a hard plastic box in less than 3mins - very narrow miss for an escape - and that wasn't even in a corner, it was the flat side.

They are wiley little critters these degus.

[moletteuk]

I think it would be good to cover with mesh under the shelves if you can find a way to secure it well enough.

I was thinking the wound might be itchy as it heals or there could be a little bit of debris in there. Maybe you could bathe it or have a feel, or stick some ointment on.

[misscatafer]

I took her out and applied more hibiscrub, then gently towelled her down to ease any itching.

We did use mesh when we first changed the cages... It just looked awful, like a degu prison lol. I will consider if though as this build will probably happen way after Christmas now with everything going on.

She is making improvement but is still not using the leg to walk on... She has began being able to lift it a bit higher to scratch with though, doesn't stop me being concerned! I can tell she is getting better as she is taking more interest in the cage and going up on the other level to look around (I made stairs for her). Really don't like seeing when she goes up there though in case she falls or gets trapped. She has also been caught by Rob eating a nugget this evening too yay!

[deguconvert]

That sounds good, that she is getting better in her movement (scratching a little higher), and is increasing in activity, and eating a nugget. Perhaps she is just being covert about some of the things she is doing? Feeling a little nervous about being "caught" by the other girls, particularly Hermione, again? Just a thought.

I think you are doing great, Misscatafer!

[misscatafer]

Bad news... She has lost weight this morning, weighing 208g wounds still all look OK, particularly her mouth area, which looks much better. She is still not using her leg either.

[savvy]

I wouldn't be too worried about a drop from 212g to 208g, it's about the weight of a wee and we all weigh less in a morning than any other time of the day.

Dixie didn't use his leg properly for a couple of weeks after he strained it, and still has days when it gives him a bit of discomfort.

As long as the wounds are healing and she's eating.

[misscatafer]

Well I got home from work and she was up and about. she leaned out to greet me when I opened the door and I took that as a cue to just feed her as much as possible - she ate quite a bit! Phew! Rob rang me at work during the day feeling worried we would lose her as she looked so awful this morning, but she seems to still be fighting. She's resting on the snuggle safe now watching Toby play.

[moletteuk]

I would think if she can avoid getting any infection then her life shouldn't be in too much danger now. How's the leg doing?