Poorly Glider

[Laura and Michael]

We had to take our rescue glider to the vet this morning and its not looking great for her im afraid. We have had her about 5 days now and one eye is totally closed. She also has a bald tail and some bne disease.  The bad news this morning was thta it looks like she might have a sub retinal absess. Hopefuly not. She has some anitbiotics over the next 5 dys and we have to open her eye and wash it with cotton wool buds each mrning and evening and put drops in. The only good news is that she is eating really well. Looks like it is a fingers crossed job over the next few days. The worst part is the eye washing because no matter how gentle im being she clearly hates it as I have to force her eye open and swab it.

The Vet is fantastic and had really done his homework so if anyone has gliders in London and needs a good vet PM and ill send you his details.

Took the skunk with us for a helath check nd she sprayed whcih wasnt brilliant.

[Emma9383]

Fingers crossed for her! I've no idea how you manage to get the drops in at all! Mine squirm so much I'd end up showering them in it with none in the eyes!

[Marie]

Hopefully the anti biotics will sort out the absess.  Make you sure give her plenty of probiotics while she's on ab's though as they killl off all the gut bacteria which can cause diarrhea and/or loss of apetite.

For her bone disease, I'd recommend Zolcal D daily, it's absolutely brilliant stuff and you can get it from some pet shops - usually reptiles shops, or online.

A good diet should help the bald tail.

If you know of a good vet it would be a good idea to share the details here - http://www.sugar-glider.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,21.0.html

[Laura and Michael]

Thanks ladies the drops are a nightmare have numrous bites now as she is not very tame either but its a matter of trying to hold her and her eye open. Its gloopy stuff s it needs rubbing in too its quite delicate stuff but when its a little glider no matter how gentle you try to be you still feel too rough.

The abscess is half the size of her head and unfortunatly is sub retinal so the drops might not have too much o an effect on it but the vet was clear its certainly worth a try. If we can get her back to full health it would be fantastic Im determined to give it a good go.

Thanks for the tip on the Zolcal D thats not one ive got at the moment but ill certainly be picking some up tomorrow.

[Amalthea]

I'm so sorry you're having to go through this so early in your time with her!! Good luck. Got everything crossed for her.

[wjohnw]

the best of luck nursing back to full health 

[Laura and Michael]

Thanks everyone she has just been gien her dinner andwas straight in to it. She can catch any crickets or locust as she is moving slow but not too slow for a piece of chicken lol. Her tail is looking very sad as well

[Emma9383]

  aw, bless her. hope she picks up soon

[Nell]

Aw poor little girl!  Good luck with her, I have my fingers crossed for you!

[Laura and Michael]

We have just finished her evening eye wash out and the cyst has burst. Laura was holding her head and puss was coming out from her eye but the eye ball is still intact. Quite a lot came out though I would say half a teaspoon. She is still eating but her back end is not working very well now so its a good and bad news:

Good news- Swelling on head has gone down with the puss coming out and she fidgeted much more when we cleaned her eye tonight & she is still eating reasonably well.

Bad news- Her back end is not  working too well. She slept in her food bowl not in her house or pouch and when I put her in her house she fell out and couldnt get back in.

I was close to calling the vet at 04:30 this morning to see about having her put to sleep as she was so unresponsive and Its really hard to see any animal in such obvious pain but I want to give her a chance. It would be much easier to watch her suffer if i knew she was going to get better but its harder when the suffering could be for nothing. Seeing the vet on Wednesday but if she doesnt pick up by the morning Im going to have to get the vet back out.

Wish her luck.

PS the vet asked her name so came up with Olive when put on the spot but if she makes it im changing it to Hope

[Usha77]

Good luck!  Poor darling!

[Emma9383]

Good luck Olive, to be Hope soon hopefully! Hang in there little lady x x

[munshkin]

Thinking of you and Olive, hope things improve

[Laura and Michael]

Unfortunatly Olive has taken a bit of a turn for the worst. The vet is giving her till tomorrow evening to pick up otherwise she is going to need to be put to sleep. Her absess has come through the top of her head and through the hole i can see the back of her eye. She is still eating well but very very dehydrated. Im syringing a solution (for dehydraed rabbits prescribed by the vet) every 4 hours in to her.

I Bought her a new cage on the weekend and was starting to think about finding a friend or two for her as she had picked up but suddenly she is going down hill fast.

 I think its sad to see her suffer but even sadder to think she might be on her own at the end. I would bring her in bed with me but im afriad she will fall out as she is quite weak or get sqaushed plus me syringing liquid down her throat every 4 hours probably makes me her least favourite person. Still hoping she might turn a corner though.

[Marie]

Poor Olive  . Fingers crossed she improves overnight.