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Post by hpdegus on Apr 15, 2024 22:37:43 GMT
I'll add some pictures later, after I've cleaned off Q's foot. I do think the bottom of his foot is getting less red, more of a pink mostly. The top is still fairly red though.
As to that spot on his lower belly, it looks a little lighter to me. Hard to tell with such dense fur, but I think that was the only spot that looks bruised. His hairless leg looks good, colorwise, as well.
Edit: added.
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 16, 2024 11:04:23 GMT
Updated more photos of Q's foot. I should hear back from the vet today, as she was out yesterday. I know someone from the practice took a look yesterday and I'd hope they'd let me know if they found it alarming, even without consulting his regular vet.
I do think some of the redness has calmed down. Unfortunately, he didn't eat the metacam last night, but I'll just give it this morning. He had a looser poop while I was trying to get a picture--hope all the meds aren't messing too much with his stomach.
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Post by moletteuk on Apr 16, 2024 15:41:02 GMT
I think it looks a bit better today 🙂
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 16, 2024 22:08:00 GMT
The vet agreed! I called to check in and it was actually his vet who answered the phone. She'd like additional pictures tomorrow morning, but does think it's looking better.
Edit: just checked his foot again. I really do think it's less red than last night! Maybe even slightly less than this morning? Could be a lighting difference though.
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Post by bouncy on Apr 17, 2024 2:09:15 GMT
That looks significantly better to me! Nowhere near as angry-looking.
I bet he'll be glad not to have many more photos with his legs waving in the air!
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 17, 2024 13:57:53 GMT
Yay! Yep, much less angry. Swelling doesn't seem to have gone down much, if at all. But I know that can take quite a while.
Hah, yeah, he's being a decent sport about it all, but he's not happy! And then I go and slather some antibiotic cream on it, the horror 🤣
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Post by bouncy on Apr 17, 2024 21:31:26 GMT
If you can find some medical grade manuka honey and slather it on instead, you may find he doesn't get as grumpy
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 17, 2024 23:54:15 GMT
Hah! He would just stick to everything in his cage!
He's lost a bit of weight today. I think he's having some stomach problems due to the metacam. I'll probably hold off on that, see if he improves. He's been given metacam for 6 days, which I would think is a decent amount.
The vet looked at his pictures from this morning and again thought it's looking better, so that's something!
When do you think I can start using his heating pad again? He definitely misses it, but I'm nervous about making the swelling worse.
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Post by bouncy on Apr 18, 2024 12:41:02 GMT
I don't think the heat pad would do him any harm at all! It should encourage him to rest more, which will help with healing. From a first aid perspective, you start with cold, but should really either stop after time, or alternative warm and cold. Haha yeah, Sausage had that problem. I was prescribed it for his prolapse, but he appeared to just lick it straight off because it tasted yummy. Vet said that wasn't a problem. Like they needed any excuse to lick down there
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 18, 2024 23:18:53 GMT
I put the heat pad back in and he's so so happy Yeah, I figured heat wasn't good on the foot while trying to prevent further swelling. I wasn't sure when it'd be ok to use heat again! Hah! Oh Sausage! And no, they really don't need any excuse at all. I was afraid I'd get a text while gone along the lines of 'um, one of the goos bent over and moving strange.'
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 18, 2024 23:52:37 GMT
Q's last dose of metacam was on the 16th. I was getting worried since his stool was thinner/more dehydrated and he was getting a little fluffier. This is exactly what happened last time he was on metacam.
He's absolutely zooming around the play area right now! His poop looks much better and he's looking a lot smoother. He has lost a bit of weight over the past two days, but I'm hoping that'll come back as he starts feeling better off the metacam.
His bottom teeth are looking a little long, too. He's been eating the critical care (solid enough to hold its shape well) and forage, but I don't think he's been gnawing at anything else. I've added pictures of his teeth to the same album containing his injured foot pictures.
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Post by bouncy on Apr 19, 2024 1:25:33 GMT
Now he's feeling better, I suspect he'll return to normal and start chewing again. Give him a day or two before panicking
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 19, 2024 23:07:56 GMT
I hope so! Hah, I feel like I've been in a constant state of anxiety over the degus for years! His foot is pretty crusty today. Probably a combination of the cream I had used, walking through food, and who knows what else. I'm going to try to clean it up, but I don't want to injure his foot further. Edit: so much for not injuring his foot more. Accidentally pulled off a scab, not just crusted junk. So that's a layer of skin gone
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Post by yasmin on Apr 20, 2024 1:40:32 GMT
Ouch!
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 20, 2024 1:45:52 GMT
Yeah, poor guy. I feel awful. He's resting on his heat pad and had his dose of pain meds. Hopefully, both of those will help.
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Post by bouncy on Apr 20, 2024 9:01:00 GMT
So hedgehogs have poo boots, and degus have food boots?
How was the skin under the scab? Was it a bit weepy, or just pink?
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 20, 2024 10:03:19 GMT
I forgot that about hedgehogs!
It was a little weepy with clear fluid. The skin was a healthy pink though. What does that mean? Do you mean whether the scab was ready to come off on its own soon, or still needed some time to heal?
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 20, 2024 11:03:56 GMT
Well. The top left side of his foot is now a raw, open wound. It didn't look this bad yesterday, so I'm worried he was messing at it (especially his toes). I've added some pictures to the photo album. I've really messed this up. Might try calling the vet this morning to see if they want me to just put the antibiotic cream on or what. Or I should just leave it alone, like I should have been doing in the first place. I'm so mad at myself.
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 20, 2024 17:31:39 GMT
So the blood has dried out a bit and I got another picture. It doesn't look great. Trying to decide whether I should go to an emergency vet or not. Pretty sure that's bone on one of the toes. photos.app.goo.gl/TEXPUk92cM86DoRV8Edit: waiting to be triaged at the ER now.
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Post by hpdegus on Apr 20, 2024 21:28:09 GMT
Ok, I saw the ER vet (exotics consult).
They said that most likely, the toes had started to die, and he was trying to remove them himself. They want to do an amputation at the hip just to prevent any issues with creeping infection.
They can't do the surgery today. The earliest would be Monday. They'll discharge and send me home with antibiotics. They put him in a cone (velcro close), which I expressed hesitancy about due to Mooneys experience. Poor Q was freaking out, fell over, and couldn't get up. Took that thing off as soon as they handed back his cage.
I'm going to call my usual vet on Monday to see if they can fit me in asap. The ER vet would be $4k+ for the full procedure. I don't know if he needs the full lag amputated or if the rest of the foot tissue is healthy? And I trust my vet.
I know degus usually do fine with three legs, but I'm worried since he has arthritis. I just wish I hadn't left that fabric in the cage. He was doing so much better, and now I've screwed it all up.
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