Message:

Subject: Romeo....the battle is over.....
Posted by Jo on February 05, 1999 at 23:11:44:

I can finally say this mal-nutrition thing is beat...

On Monday Feb 1, I took Romeo into the vet for another calcium shot. After we got home I noticed that he didn't seem to rebound as quickly as the last time. He seemed very much the same. The calcium only seemed to last about 3 days, even though he was remarkably improved since this hind leg paralysis began on Jan 21. I noticed that he would only eat the leadbeaters in his diet but not any fruits. Over the weekend my kids scoured the yard for yummy bug, anything this little guy would eat...and bugs he would eat. By Tuesday Morning I was beginning to worry about a balanced diet. He was only eating protien, occasionaly I could entice him to eat a peice of fruits or vegetables. After fighting this terrible disease, I couldn't lose now with this balanced diet battle. For those of you who have followed this horrifying 2 weeks, know the struggle I have fought with myself over what is the correct diet to feed these guys. I new the Brisky's was supposed to be a complete diet, but what about variety. Romeo in his weakned state needed full nutritional balance, but how was I supposed to get it in him...His paws weren't working quite right yet.

I called Brisky's on Tuesday, I needed to know what would be ok to give a sick glider to eat Brisky's food. I had tried various mashes with the brisky's. I tried pureeing his fruits, mixed new leadbeaters. Bourban, mrglider, kady and many others had spent so much time trying to help me battle this out. They questioned diet, brisky's, variety of foods. What was right? I emailed Austrialia's Zoo for information, variety still key, but brisky's complete. I was still at the same starting point as the day I bought my SG's. Kelly's refered me to whom she called the glider gooru, Debbie Dillion, she has owned a breed SG's since the beginning of 1995 and she too had experenced hind leg paralysis. As I told her all the things we had gone through, and she said "get more protien in his diet". My vet the day before suspected that Romeo may have a condition called hypoparahyroidism, a condition caused by too much protien in his diet as a young glider. But as she spoke I recalled, Pat Todd, speaking about new
studies revealing that SG's actually may need up to 33% of protien in their diet. Here is what Debbie suggested to me, try a four day rotational diet. Day one fruits. Day two, yogurt and apples sauce. Day 3 Vegetables and Day 4 protien. And always keep Brisky's in their cage at all times. I asked her how do you know if they are getting enough protien, then it hit me like a freight train. We all know that Sg's need 100% well balanced diet. In four days 100% of the diet would be complete if each day was 25% of his total diet. If on day each day they only got a variety of each required nutrional substance, no matter what varity choice they made, it would be of the correct amount.. Suppliments are no longer needed because calcium is found in various fruits and vegs as well as selenium. Too much calcium is just as harmful causeing bladder stones and possible seizures. I t was then I relized that her gliders were getting 2 full nutrional balanced diets at all times. I was siqued and willing to give it a try.

Debbie suggusted for the next three days to feed him nothing but protien plus a 1/4" tsp of yogurt to help rebuild his ammune sytem since he was on antibiotics. I gathered foods like canned high protien/lowfat dog food, meat baby food, tuna fish, chicken, ground beef. I gave him a minimum of three different foods for variety plus some necter. (which I was told you could find at the market, Libby's nector or 100% fruit juice) I also gave him about 1 ounce of necter with some brisky's pellets mashed up in it.

Night 1 - Romeo ate so much I had to give him more about 2 tsps of each variety food. He loved the necter. By Wedsneday morning he was really crawling around and his ears we perfectly straight up in the air.
Night 2 - Romeo ate a more normal porportion of the food about 1 tsp of each varitey + necter. I noticed that he was staying awake longer. By Thurday morning, I had a glider sitting on the top of my head grooming my hair. Romeo was also becoming more vocal making little noises while he was eatting. He was getting well. The first real sign that he was out of the woods.
Night 3 - Romeo was once again feed the same protein + ncter diet. He stayed awake much longer and actually was playing some with Juliet. Each day showed such a remarkable difference. It was incredible to watch his health soar in just 3 days.
To night Friday Feb. 5 Romeo..IS BACK IN HIS CAGE WITH JULIET...I am so excited...this worked, it really worked...They played running over the furniture this evening together for a good hour...He also let out a very pitiful bark tonight, but what a joyful sound.

I hope I have helped you with this difficult health problem. I truly am just trilled to have my baby another day. Thanks to everyone for all you input and lending an ear to here my thought and concerns.

Special thanks to Debbie Dillion for her common sense phylosophy in feeding her gliders and to her wonderful book, Complete Care Guide for your Sugar Glider The Perfect Pocket Pet. I got mine from Brisky's you may be able to get one from her too, i am not sure. But to me this has become my bible for my SG's.

Warm thanks to all...

JO

Follow Ups:

• Congratulations!! Flyte 15:33:11 2/06/99 (0)