Very ill degu :(

[devotedtodegus]

I own four male degu brothers who are now three years old. They have always been in fine help. They are fed on pets at home degu pellets and have plenty of wood and chewing objects in their cage to keep their teeth down. Three weeks ago (a week before I went on holiday for a fortnight) one of my degus started giving a little sneeze every now and again. It has just turned really cold and I didnt think much of it. He was active, eating and tearing around like a loony as per normal. When I returned from holiday at the beginning of this week (my grandad looked after them) I noticed his condition had gone down hill. My grandad told me he had been taking forever to eat. If he gave them each a treat the poorly degu was still nibbling and trying to lick the first whilst the others had four or five already! I got him home and quickly realised he wasn't well. His eyes are half shut, perhaps his face is a little swollen? He appears unable to eat and is audibly "weeazing" his breathing detoriates once he has eaten and when he is stressed. realising how snuffly he was and that breathing was a struggle I wisked him down the vets on firday night who said his lungs where very conjested and started him on antibiotics. As for the eating the prime suspect is his teeth. She checked his front teeth as I had which appear fine. She attempted to view the back teeth with an ear thing but the he was getting distressed and this was effecting him breathing. In light of this she left me to give him antibiotics twice a day saying he should show improvement in two/ three days. He is now booked to go back tomorrow evening. His breathing is if anything only fractionally better and he is still not eating and perhaps is attempting to eat even less now! The vets plan of action was once the chest infection had improved to anestatise him and check his teeth. I'm worried that if anything he is going down hill. He started his antibotics frieday evening so based on two doses a day he will have effectivly had four days worth by tommorrow morning and it hasn't touched it yet Not looked good. Any ideas/ experience/ advice?? x x

[blossombrooks]

Sorry to hear he's so poorly. You've done exactly right by getting him to the vet. I'm afraid I don't have experience in this but I do know he needs a full course of antibiotic and if he's very poorly it may take a day or two longer to work. Have you tried offering him something higher in calories to build him up a bit? Some peanut butter maybe with no added nasties. There is a sticky about how to entice a sick degu to eat in this section, maybe something there will help? Hope he turns the corner. I'm sure someone will be along soon who's been there done that and can give you some more help. :-)

[devotedtodegus]

Thank you for your reply blossom. He attempts to eat by taking treats/ picking up pellets and appears to nibble them and then just drops them. He has enough antibiotics for five days at the moment and as I said I will be taking him back tomorrow evening and will keep giving the antibiotics. However he is getting a little wise to this and its making it more and more difficult! The vet doesnt want to inspect teeth until he is stronger because the stress of anestetic with poor breathing may not end well but as yet he shows virtually no signs of improvement. Will just keep waiting and hope for better news at the vets tommorrow. One a brighter note the other three seem oblivious and happy to tear round. They relish the fact that i'm there forever trying to get him to eat because they get extra treats too lol! (not too many tho! )

[yasmin]

I don't have experience with this either but have had to give Azure, one of my degus, Baytril twice a day for two weeks. She stopped accepting the drops after the first dose even though it was fruit-flavoured. The only way I could get her to ingest the antibiotics was to put it on partly-cracked-open sunflower seeds. (Her sister, Lilac, however would drink it right from the dropper – she loved the taste). I wish you all the best and will keep checking to see how your degu is doing. I hope to hear good news.

[deguconvert]

You may wish to ask your Vet about injected antibiotics, maybe to give him injections a couple of times or whatever to be sure that his body is getting what it needs to help him fight this chest infection. Then continue with the oral baytril.

I think trying the peanut butter is a good suggestion, as he will really be needing the calories for his body to get better. His body needs calorie dense foods to give him the energy he needs . . . maybe combine a little of peanut butter with come porridge oats, and let him lick at that while you hold him.

[abirose]

You might want someone else to double check its suitability as it is used for rats but it is a product called Nutri Cal. Its basically a high calorie paste for sick animals and from what I know from its use with rats they can manage to eat it. You can buy it from here or your vets will probably stock it:

ratwarehouse.co.uk/shop_view.php?cat=11

Let us know how you get on, I hope your little one gets better!

[abirose]

I've looked online and I think that Nutri Cal will be fine for degu's. Due to its high calorie content its not advised for long term use but I think in your case I would't want your goo to deteriorate from lack of calories. I don't want to give you false hope but its had brilliant reviews in the rat community as in some situations it has been a lifesaver.

[Ady]

If he's loosing weight and not eating, giving him the paste as abirose suggested could help. You can also google Oxbow Critical care. It's similar product.
When I give atb to mine, I put bath robe on, pulling sleeve over my hand. Put degu on my covered hand a push him back against my body, so only his head is out and use my other hand to give atb. I guess each of us has their own way
I hope your goo will get better soon.

[devotedtodegus]

degu update: been back to the vets and he's is down from 0.20kg to 0.18kg which he's lost in the last three days. He has very few options. 1. start investigation x-ray etc. 2. euthansia. I have booked him into the vets on Friday to be anestatised and have his teeth inspected on the slim chance it's something minor. He is on anti-biotics and anti-inflammatories until Friday. He is also on critical control feed. If they find nothing on Friday sadly he will be put to sleep. Not looking good:( x x

[deguconvert]

I am very, very sorry to hear this. You must feel very sad and distressed for him!! I truly hope that the combination of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories will turn him around. Did the vet inject him with antibiotic or fluids at all?

[abirose]

I am very sorry I must commend you on your quick trip to the vets, you obviously care a lot about your goo. Try and keep him nice and warm and everyone will hope for the best.

[devotedtodegus]

Thank you all for your kind words. nope vet kept him on oral antibiotics. At each visit they are trying to do very little because the stress is really efecting his respiration. x

[harpic01]

My fingers are crossed for you ive not lost a goo yet but when Mash was ill after i accidentially stood on him he was in a really bad state, but they are hardy little things and once back with his brothers he seemed to pick up but didnt eat much for ages - peanut butter was sort of eaten but not - tried just porridge oats on my finger and he nibbled them -
You are doing all you can and the most important thing is that he doesnt suffer. Me and my goo's will keep you in our thoughts and also your goo (sorry missed his name). x

[malteser60]

Oh no, that is not good. Degus are hardy little animals and are generally fighters so don't give up hope yet. Keep him warm (esp as it's a lot colder now), try and give him the high calorie feeds/paste (low sugar baby food is also a good substitue), and the antibiotics. Hopefully it's something minor with his teeth that can easily be solved.

[devotedtodegus]

Hi. All thanks again for your kind words. In the mornings and evenings after work i'm getting him out every hour and offering him food. He is nibbling a little bit and I brought some soft oats tonight encouraging him to nibble a little more. I've just mixed his degu pellets in boiling water and i'm waiting for it to cool to offer him mushed up pellets. His breathing doesn't really seem to be improving even with antibiotics and antiinfammatoires. All fingers crossed for Friday he seems a bit more active. Thanks again everyone x x

[devotedtodegus]

So he seems to really like mushed up warm pellets. But doesn't seem very good this evening. I've had him in my lap for the last hour or so and his breathing is really bad and he keeps trying to lie on his side and at one point was lying on his back :/ He's been on anti-biotics for 4 full days now and breathing seems no better.

[Ady]

I'm sorry to hear that. Hope he will get better. X

[harpic01]

Will keep fingers crossed - he is a fighter so keep thinking positive we are all wishing him well x

[abirose]

Just a suggestion my baby ratties are on baytiril (they were rescued from being feeders to some pythons and were in awful conditions) as they have the sneezes and one has suspected bronchitis. My vet told me that a lot of antibiotics are very bitter tasting so I should mix it with ribena so they also get vitamin c. My babies have ribena in their bottle and also a tiny amount of undiluted ribena with 1/2ml of baytiril in a little dish, apparently a lot of rodents like the syrup texture and will lick it off their paws.

[Maravilla]

I am so sorry to read about your ill degu.
My vet normally also gives Baytril for such infections, but there are some other antibiotics which could be more suitable: Chloramphenicol palmitate and Marbocyl (I don't have own experiences with them but they were recommended in deguforum.de).
The infection and the inappetence are a vicious circle. The lung problem can cause the inappetence which results in distension that affects the lungs. Offer your degu a puree with his normal food and water or ground oats and nuts mixed with water (it may help him as there is no need to chew these things). Can you buy simethicone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simethicone)? It is something you can give him and what helps to reduce bloating. It doesn't cause any harm so you can give it prophylactically.
To provide him a warm place you can put glas bottle with warm (not hot) water in the cage. But remove them before cooling too much.