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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 2, 2011 22:54:02 GMT
Rosie has been sneezing. Several month ago, she would sneeze, I changed the bedding and it stopped.
well she has been doing it again, and I noticed her pawing at her nose (and sometimes the sneeze sounds sort of a squeek with a sneeze). Today I was looking at her from below (her cage is up higher then me) and noticed her bottom teeth looked longer then her sisters. I have an appt. tomorrow with an exotic vet. There is no discharge. I have had her over a year, she is about 3 1/2 yrs old now. She has things to chew on and gets hay every day. Is this a normal occurance and will she be ok?? I am really worried. Thanx!
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 2, 2011 23:38:35 GMT
they have degu experience and I will take her sister so they can check both while I am there. her bottom teeth look twice as long as her sisters! I will see if I can feel anything (although she doesn't really let you handle her and I don't want to stress her out, as she sneezes more. It could be a respiratory thing, too, as I noticed when she ran around, she was breathing much harder. I cannot get her in anywhere sooner (I was actually lucky to find this vet, as the two I normally use for my exotics are both on vacation!) If it is respiratory, will she be ok with meds? God, I feel awful. She sneezed in the past, but it stopped, but been hearing it off and on lately and now it is alot more and the rubbing her nose when she does it (although I cannot see any discharge.)
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 2, 2011 23:41:40 GMT
It has to be respiratory, I was just sitting next her cage and she is 'clicking' when she breaths! She doesn't seem to have lost weight. I was watching her and listening and I can hear it now. What meds would they use for respiratory? I do wildlife rehab and have some meds on hand, should I start her on baytril or wait to see the vet?
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 3, 2011 0:18:25 GMT
I suppose it could be....but I can hear her breathing, when she is quiet, and with each breath, even on resting, it looks like she is taking a deep breath (can really see her chest moving). She just ate a small piece of pecan for me (she wouldn't eat her pellets, but wanted to make sure she would eat SOMETHING, which she did.) They are in my kitchen. They used to be in my glider room, but the sneezing didn't start until they were in the kitchen (she has a cagemate, who is fine, and my two other girls in another cage are all fine, they are in the same place.) hhhhmmmmmmm....maybe just wait and see what they say tomorrow before I just start giving her meds. Would allergies make her breath/click?
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 3, 2011 1:11:40 GMT
I think I will wait until tomorrow, since I would need to weigh her to get a dosage and I don't want to cause her undue stress. Could the dust they bathe in cause this? She is eating (she just took a green bean,) so I am taking that as a good thing. I do clean their cage and around their cage, but I can't say no dust is around (I have dogs, seems like everything gets dusty!)
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 3, 2011 12:12:48 GMT
She is the same this morning, but will take treats, so still taking that as a good sign. My appt. isn't until this afternoon, but I am going to see if they can get her in earlier, as I feel if she needs meds, to get them started asap is important. I am so worried about pneumonia! Although where the sneezing has been going on for a bit, I would think if it were pneumonia, she would have gone downhill already? Unless her teeth are overgrown, and it brought on pneumonia? Maybe she has two things going on. Well, I pray she will be ok and they can help her today! Thank you! I will update later.
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 4, 2011 2:24:07 GMT
Well, Rosie has lost quite a bit of weight (she now weighs 130 grams, Violet is 160, but Rosie used to be the bigger of the two.) No abcesses, but her left lung is very congested. Teeth look good, although one of her back molars is a little bit longer then the others. The vet checked by sort of manually grinding her teeth and they didn't 'catch' so she isn't concerned with it. Plus no swelling, blood or redness around the tooth. She is on antibiotics (not baytril, if this does not work, will change to baytril.) But she also mentioned the possibility we are looking at a tumor causing fluid to build in her lung (with her breathing so affected, was not safe to do an xray). So, we are hoping it is bacterial infection and the meds will clear it up. If not, change to baytril and if not......well, we didn't really talk about that, but I would guess trying to find a way to get an xray to look at things. She is still eating (although only 'treats' but vet said as long as she is eating SOMETHING that is what she cares about. I do have critical care if need be, but don't want to have to force feed her because of stress and her breathing! She doesn't look great tonight and I am worried. Vet felt her breathing wasn't too bad (labored), but to me it has gotten much worse since last night (but then again, I am worried, so maybe it is just me). Did not think this was from dust or from allergies. So treating as if a bacterial infection and PRAYING that is what it is, as the thought she has a tumor.....I can't even think about it! The other three girls are all very quiet, no sounds tonight, no running in their wheels (even the two in the other cage)....they must be able to sense something is wrong. Violet will not leave Rosie's side, it is so sweet and sad. Please pray for her, I am very worried!
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 4, 2011 15:13:10 GMT
Well, hoping this is a 'good' thing. This morning, Rosie's nose is running (clear fluid)....waiting for call back from vet, but hoping this means it is 'breaking up' from the meds and moving out.....and she is starting to get better (even though since her nose is now really 'stuffy/draining', she has to breath with her mouth open!) I am waiting to hear if I can/should put her in the bathroom with steam, or add a something for her nose to clear it out.
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Post by poandcc on Aug 4, 2011 15:21:00 GMT
hope she is okay and the meds work! theres nothing worse than an ill degu  |
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Post by malteser60 on Aug 4, 2011 16:29:59 GMT
Here's hoping that it is an infection on that the meds are working. At least the vet seems to know what they're doing and that they are seriously considering xrays and investigations if things get worse. Due to inbreeding degus are prone to things like tumours, bless them.
Do keep us informed on how she's doing.
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Post by malteser60 on Aug 4, 2011 21:44:23 GMT
Animals generally stop eating when ill, which normally aggrevates the situation.
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 4, 2011 23:15:27 GMT
She is eating, but I believe with her breathing issues, it makes it hard to eat w/o getting out of breath, so to speak. am giving her 'fats', which she does enjoy. She seems a little more active today, so hoping she is beginning to feel a little better.
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 5, 2011 12:09:57 GMT
It was sunflower seeds, she ate 5. Still with us this morning, her congestion sounds worse to me....don't know if that because it is moving and it is good, or she is worse....ugh. Will call vet and maybe have her take another quick peek/listen to just make sure, I think. She is doing ok with her meds, but it stresses her and afterwards, she really struggles to breath, it is so upsetting! Thank you for all the help, I am new to this, never had one get sick and only have had degus one year....
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 6, 2011 1:53:38 GMT
I did not take her in, and she seems to be a little stonger tonight and not sneezing as much (although she gets really winded badly when I take her out to give her her meds, which she does not like, but she is doing ok I think.) My vet said give it 7 days, I should see improvement, so will do that.
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 10, 2011 0:11:38 GMT
Rosie is not getting better, meds are not working and now she looks like she is all bloated, too (even her face). Calling vet again tomorrow and see what they want to do. I cannot even medicate her, she gets so winded, she can barely breath. I feel awful for her. I am beginning to wonder if this is cancer, or a heart issue now (where one of her lungs was congested.)
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 11, 2011 5:07:12 GMT
I have only just returned from being away and am concerned for you and Rosie. How is Rosie doing now?
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 11, 2011 12:12:09 GMT
She is still with us, still looks 'puffy', will only eat almonds and green beans, will not touch anything else. Her breathing is the same, she constantly rubs at her nose. Heartbreaking watching her this way. We go in at 10:15 this morning, going to do injectible baytril today and tomorrow, see if it gives her any relief, then hopefully can go to oral (or I can do the injectible, if needed). If this does not work, we will have to try to do xrays, which means anesthesia, which in her condition is dangerous. But we have to find out what is going on, I can't just leave her this way. Please keep prayers coming. She is so sweet, but with all the medicating, she has started to hide when she sees me coming to the cage now....which breaks my heart, as Rosie was the one who always climbed on me the second my hand was in the cage.
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 11, 2011 19:14:53 GMT
I would try using some Olbas Oil in a steam bath to try and help the mucus to thin out.
You need a deep bowl
2 strainers
a tea towel
Olbas Oil
Hot water, NOT boiling, but tap hot
Into deep bowl, put in hot tap water, then 3-5 drops of Olbas Oil. Make sure the water is not too deep, as you will be placing one of the strainers over top of it, and you don't want water coming into the bottom of it.
Once your strainer is over top, take your second strainer and invert it over top of the first so that you are making a cage of sorts.
Drape the towel over top.
Place Rosie inside this and let her just rest in the steam bath for about 5-10 minutes.
Repeat this twice daily if you can. Make sure after you remove her from the bath that the room is warm, or that you tuck her inside your shirt or something, so that she doesn't get chilled. When you feel confident that she is warm and not going to feel chilled, return her to her cage, if you wish. Hopefully this will help her fight.
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Post by pappy1264 on Aug 13, 2011 17:43:50 GMT
I will have to see where I can get that oil. Now both her lungs are involved, right is actually worse then left (last week, right lung was clear). Both are very crackily, suspects pneumonia (treating with injectible baytril). She said she should have improvement within the week, although will not be 100% better. the 'bloating' was actually weight gain (she went from 130 last week, to 180 this week!) Again, upon exam, no lumps, abcesses, swelling or abnormalities felt anywhere. So we will see where things stand next week. If not better, we have to try to get an xray to see what we are looking at here (it is possible it could be viral pneumonia, which meds will not help, too. But she said that is much less likely.) So, that is where things stand right now. Going to go search where I can get that oil...I am in the US (Massachusetts, to be exact). Thank you.
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 13, 2011 18:25:41 GMT
Olbas Oil is an inhalent for colds, so if you can't find it, there should be others that you would find in the pharmacy. In fact, I would just go ask the pharmacist at the store you shop at. They should be able to give you a good direction to go.
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