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Post by hpdegus on Oct 13, 2023 19:27:55 GMT
His teeth had already grown long enough to need another dental unfortunately. It was just under a month, Yep, pretty sure that's it. Vet said to stop everything but gabapentin. He tolerates smz well normally, I'm hoping to start that again in a few days. I can't skip, unfortunately. And the sitter used to be a vet assistant! I do trust her. Thanks, Molette, I appreciate that. Hopefully he'll be ok.
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Post by hpdegus on Oct 14, 2023 16:13:02 GMT
He's gone.
Pet sitter took him to the ER, he had to go on oxygen and was too dehydrated. He wasn't really there cognitively anymore. He passed peacefully with his brother.
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 14, 2023 16:33:50 GMT
I'm so sorry, hp, there wasn't anything else you could have done. I'm glad he went peacefully, I think it was just his time, it would have been much sooner without your care. Rest easy, Tom, you were much loved x
I'm thinking of you, hp, just get through the day as best you can.
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Post by bouncy on Oct 17, 2023 14:07:36 GMT
Poor little Tom! He was such a cutie x
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Post by hpdegus on Feb 17, 2024 22:43:53 GMT
Hi all, back after a bit of a break. Life's been a lot the past few months, hoping the goos will give me a bit of a break, haha! Q seems to be doing ok as a lone goo. He's definitely more cautious in during playtime and he's letting me scratch his chin/sides. I'm going to try an intro between him and Newt (one of the pups). Even if he only gets along with one of the pups, he could still have some time with a friend. I've moved his cage closer to the pups and removed the sight barrier. I've done a few playtimes with a split fence, they mostly seem to ignore each other. I think that's ok though? I'm a bit nervous about intros since I've never had a good experience there! I hope everyone's been doing well here ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Post by bouncy on Feb 18, 2024 21:18:00 GMT
Great to see you again! I've lost a few too ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) but my little pygmy is so cute. I'm glad little Q is still going strong!
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Post by hpdegus on Feb 18, 2024 22:18:11 GMT
Good seeing you too, Bouncy Oh no, I'm sorry! But he does look absolutely adorable! And it looks like you're getting lots of snuggles Thanks, we're fighting his huge seasonal weight loss at the moment, but he's enjoying running on the wheel a ton. I just wish he had made up his weight loss from last year, but it just didn't happen with Tom being sick.
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Post by moletteuk on Feb 19, 2024 15:20:01 GMT
Hi hp! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) Yes, ignoring each other at a split playpen is good. If you are planning on doing a meeting just with Newt, beware that the other pups might smell Q on him and that could cause a problem. It might be too early to worry about that just now if you are just testing the waters.
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Post by hpdegus on Feb 19, 2024 23:03:33 GMT
Hi Molette That's a good point. I had Newt opposite Q for 15 min and then switched him out for Pickett. They both seemed much more focused on finding the rolled oats haha.
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Post by bouncy on Feb 20, 2024 4:22:01 GMT
That's degus for you!
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Post by hpdegus on Feb 20, 2024 23:55:22 GMT
Ain't that the truth!
Had anyone ever had any luck avoiding or shortening the spring weight loss? I've turned up the heat at my house to see if I can simulate summer, haha.
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Post by hpdegus on Feb 24, 2024 1:20:09 GMT
And now poor Q is favoring his left hind leg. He's getting around the play area ok, just not putting a ton of weight on it.
I heard him running earlier this evening, wondering if he sprained something then. I felt the area a bit and he didn't flinch until I was close to his hip. I did give metacam, I hope it helps!
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Post by hpdegus on Mar 7, 2024 0:31:56 GMT
Q was diagnosed with heart disease on Feb 29th. The vet heard a third sound, she called it a galloping heartbeat.
This is different than Fred, George, and Pickett--they all have/had enlarged hearts. The vet said she thinks his heart muscle was thickening and can't fully relax. He's been on pimobendan (vetmedin) since then, so almost a week.
I was honestly shocked about this. Just like Pickett, Q was running quite a bit on his wheel but was losing weight. I thought it was just his normal large seasonal weight loss, but I guess that could be attributed to a previously silent heart issue.
The vet said that if he responds to meds, his prognosis is good. I'm going to call tomorrow and see what I should be watching for and how to tell if the meds help or not.
I'm pretty stressed at the moment. I leave for a vacation in ~month, I'll be gone for 2 weeks. I trust my pet sitters, but I'm so worried and guilty. I just wish degus stayed young and healthy for longer.
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Post by bouncy on Mar 7, 2024 12:43:21 GMT
Big hugs! I hope the vet provides good news in their prognosis! You are allowed a vacation as much as anyone else, it's just bad timing I've been away whilst goos have been poorly/not expected to make it, but the two occasions when one has died, it's not been the ill ones, but sudden and unexpected ones!
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 7, 2024 20:00:03 GMT
I'm sorry to hear this. I hope the the meds work well for him and that then means you don't need to worry too much. Did the vet say how the weight loss might be connected? Could he be burning extra calories if the heart is working too hard, something like that?
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Post by hpdegus on Mar 8, 2024 1:23:28 GMT
Thanks, Bouncy. I know im due a vacation, but I'm kinda dreading going away at the moment. Yeah, degus like to do the unexpected, don't they! I think losing Ollie while I was away at a wedding really hit me hard.
Thanks, Molette. I really really hope this works. She didn't really say, but it sounds like that could be a possibility? I know that weight loss is a symptom of dilated cardiomyopathy (what Pickett, Fred, and George were diagnosed with) because the fluid around the lungs can make them have to choose between eating and breathing. But that doesn't seem to be the case here.
Q lost some more weight. And now he doesn't want oats at all, just sunflower seeds or rice puffs, so it's really hard to get him to eat the critical care.
I dont know if the weight loss is due to the meds (side effects or meds are harming him) or not. Decreased appetite can be a side effect. He's still just as active, which is a good thing. I think I just need to know specific tells for whether the meds are working or not.
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Post by hpdegus on Mar 8, 2024 1:41:55 GMT
And his poop today has been pretty small or misshapen. Like he's dehydrated? Again, no idea if this is meds or worsening heart issues.
EDIT: This could be reaching. But I realized that the timing of his small stools (constipation/dehydration) could match up with when I switched him from pimobendan compounded in water to those compounded in oil. He was on metacam about a week and a half ago, it was also compounded in oil. I also started seeing small, hard stools.
Also just realized that she had his weight wrong (168g vs really 186g), so the dose could be too low.
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Post by hpdegus on Mar 8, 2024 22:44:46 GMT
Just got home. The left side of his face (a few cm below the eye to the side of his mouth) is wet. He yelped when I touched it too.
The vet did check his teeth on the 29th and said they looked fine.
My vet is closing now, but they said to start him on metacam, take him into ER if gets worse. I have an appt for Tuesday with them if he holds.
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Post by bouncy on Mar 8, 2024 22:55:45 GMT
It never rains........
It's surprising, but vets can sometimes miss things when checking teeth with a scope! Just check out the post I'm about to make! Sounds like you're on top of everything!
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Post by hpdegus on Mar 8, 2024 23:02:03 GMT
Ain't that the truth!
Yeah, I know that teeth were missed on Ollie once. I'm just so hoping this isn't teeth, but something weird like an object stuck in his mouth. I'm really concerned about sedation with a heart condition.
Oh no, I'll take a look, but I hope everyone is OK!
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