Pearl is ill again

[pinkpill]

i have degu's and they have orange teeth and they say if they go white or whiter they are not so well  but i hope she is ok m gets better soon   

[jennyb]

Thanks

I think that fits with her, the teeth going white because of not being well. I also read i think on The Squirrel Board that calcium can affect the teeth and it could be something to do with her MBD problems has affected maybe weakened the teeth, maybe the teeth aren't strong enough because of a calcium lack. I don't know. She eats alot of calcium herself, bites it off the cuttlefish.

[chris]

Not sure its MBD if she is getting plenty of calcium  Infection would probably come to mind more, but she already on antibiotics which should help

Maybe a tooth absess?

[jennyb]

Thanks Chris.

I don't feel she has MBD at the moment as she is not showing the other symptoms such as twitching or paralysis. I was thinking when she had it two years ago it might have affected her teeth then and weakened them and then they broke easily. I couldn't see an abscess when i looked in her mouth and she doesn't have the swelling they usually have on the cheek although i will be watching out for any swelling. If it is an infection its not good as Hazel died from an infection.

[chris]

I'm hoping she will get well again because your an experienced chip keeper who can identify when something is wrong soon enough and get treatment in quick enough. I guess now its a game of wait and see and we are all keeping our fingers crossed for her. Bless her she has had enough problems before and hopefully will pull through this one.
I know you have and will do your best for her


Regards

Chris

[jennyb]

Thanks Chris,

Things aren't good. When i went to give pearl her medication today i noticed she hasn't really touched her Chipmunk food and i thought i heard her making odd noises. I got her out and she started well it was like choking and sneezing at the same time with squeaks. I didn't have to open her mouth this time she was panting. Her eye which has been watering is now leaking a white liquid. i I could feel her backbone. After taking the pics i put her back in the cage and gave her a pecan and pumpkin seed, it soon became clear that she was struggling to eat with the panting. She's sleeping at the moment and when i put my ear to the cage i can hear her weezing. I suspect her heart is failing. She's nearly at the end of her 10 day course of antibiotics started last wednesday, theres not much else the vet can do, we suspect she has an infection which is now spreading through her body, this is exactly what happened to Hazel
Sorry i am really going to miss her.  The vet can't do much more other than try more anti-biotics which i don't feel is going to help her, our only other option is putting her to sleep.I also posted this to The Squirrel Board hoping they can give me some help. I have already been told to get fluids into her since she isn't drinking much, going to try syringing Pedialyte.

Please pray for my Pearly

[pinkpill]

aw i'm so sorry, she is in my thoughts, all u can do is care for her as u av bin doing, and give her love 

[jennyb]

Thanks Pinkpill for your prayers

[emab]

SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT PEARL 

[jennyb]

Thanks Ema,

I didn't get to bed until 7.20am this morning, i gave Pearl fluids several times through the early morning. She had two syringe fulls of Pedialyte at 3 am which someone on The Squirrel Board gave me the recipe, 1 cup of water, 3/4 teaspoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I found out she was dehydrated after pinching the back of the neck, the skin did not go straight down. I gave her another syringe full at 5am.

Today she has been drinking herself a couple of times but not eating much. I gave her some yoghurt and she ate a tiny amount about 10 minutes ago but hasn't eaten anything else. Her breathing has not changed. I gave her a rice buddy (a sock filled with rice and warmed in the microwave) and she has been sleeping on it. She's awake at the moment in her bed.

[judyw]

Oh Jenny

I am so sorry to hear that Pearl is not well again. I hope she will get better soon. You doing a great job looking after her. I just hope that she is not in to much pain.

[jennyb]

I don't know Judy i think she must be in some pain she is struggling with her breathing and also she doesn't appear to be sleeping very well

Thanks for thinking about her

[Nate]

Sorry I haven’t been able to post on this thread until tonight.

Very sorry to read that Pearl is a bad way, Jenny you are so diligent and caring the way you have looked after Pearl.

She couldn’t be in better hands.

I’ve been thinking about her all day today.

Best wishes to you both.

[jennyb]

Thanks Nate for thinking about her 

It was suggested to try some baby food, so i did try to give her a little in a syringe but she didnt take much and i was struggling to hold her. She may be ill but she can still move and climb and it is really a two person job. I tried giving her a little in a bowl but she wasn't interested, she just kept going back in her bed, i feel she may be giving up. She is just not really eating, she has been drinking a few times but i haven't seen her drink for several hours now. I feel bad when i am syringe feeding her, she does not like it and i am wondering if it is right to be trying to give her something she doesn't really want but then again if i don't see might get worse. I gave her banana and apple flavour, which she should like as she likes apples. I don't know whether to try a different flavour later today.
Its very hard to see her really struggling for breath  Also she kept getting her claws stuck in my gloves

[AndreaT]

.... it's choking me up just reading this   bless her ....

Hope Pearl pulls thru Jenny, I remember a lil old gerbil I had years ago, feeding her on mashed up baby rusk coz that's all she seemed to be able to swallow, whether she really wanted it or not I do not know but we have to try

We'll do anything for the love of our pets eh 

All the best with her anyway Jenny