 | Posted by: | TammyH | | Subject: | Sad Lesson Learned | | When: | 8:43 AM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 146.235.4.8 |
BACKGROUND: My Beau was fixed January 1999. Three months later he had a 180 degree attitude/behavior change. He went from being a social happy glider that loved us, his glider family, and playtime to an antisocial glider who began to gain weight, didnt want ANYONE to touch him (not his mate, his children or us) and would hide during playtime or just not come out of his cage/pouch at all.
I just chalked it up to attitude -- lots of animals experience personality chages after being fixed -- sometimes to the better (like my other male Busy). So I let him get away with it.
THE STORY: I decided thursday 10/26/00 around 9:30pm that Beau was coming out to play with us and his family -- like it or not -- so I went to get him out of the pouch. When he didnt crab, cling to the pouch or try to get away I thought something was up -- Boy! was it ever.
He was on his back, eyes open, lying still as the night (but breathing); however, I noticed that his little pink nose was dry and colorless with lint stuck to it. OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD -- not my precious baby -- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Let him be okay
I cleared the lint from his nose, took him to the kitchen and began giving him water off my finger nail -- which he was glad to take.
Suspecting dehydration, I pinched the skin on his back. It did not go back -- which an indication that he was dehydrated (not to mention the dry colorless nose) -- so we moved on to pedialite.
Since he was taking fluid and even "trying" to eat (he'd take food but would spit it out) I didnt take him to the local night vet.
By 12:30 he could barely take any more fluid and was now having shivering convulsions -- So I finally decided to call local emergency vet for help -- she had left duty at midnight --
I then spent the next 30 minutes on the phone frantically trying to find another -- SUCCESS, but we had to drive 45 minutes to the one we found. By the time we arrived, it was too late -- he was pronounce dead at 2am.
At first I blamed myself -- thinking that he had been caught up in the pouch and I didnt find him in time -- then I realized he wasnt stuck when I got him out -- So what then?? Depression?
I had read glider can die from depression -- But everything was realted directly to lonliness -- and he certainly wasnt lonley. (In addition, and this is really ignorant of me, it didnt occur to me that the death would be because the depression caused them to just STOP eating/drinking -- DUHHHH
I THOUGHT I was experienced enough with sick animals to handle this -- WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG. Not Gliders -- the vet said he needed an iv of fluid and his mouth and throat tissues were to swollen to eat or drink -- which was why he kept spitting out the food.
He may have been depressed and ill from self induced starvation, but he probably died because I didnt get him medical attention in time -- I will not EVER EVER let this happen again -- I have come to realization that I am not a Dr Doolittle --
I am posting this story as a reminder to myself that my over-confidence/ignorance cost Beau his life.
Please, for the sake of your babies, always remember that changes in behavior and animals in distressed need to be handled the VERY MOMENT it is discovered -- regardless of experience (unless you just happen to be a vet)
|
| Posted by: | Sassy | | Subject: | none | | When: | 8:51 AM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 209.156.238.47 |
I am sorry to hear of your loss. Our prayers are with you. THank you for sharing your story as it does show the importance of takin a glider to a vet and how quick things can happen.
Glider hugz,
Sassy
| Posted by: | Rebekka, Rebekka_foster@yahoo.com | | Subject: | none | | When: | 9:13 AM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 128.151.23.189 |
I'm so sorry to hear that. Thanks you for telling us this I know it must have been hard.
| Posted by: | Jill | | Subject: | none | | When: | 9:44 AM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 209.218.161.65 |
I am so sorry for your loss.
| Posted by: | JALAYNA JONES, BABYFACE2828@AOL.COM | | Subject: | none | | When: | 10:10 AM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 205.188.200.58 |
im so sorry to hear . but thanks for telling all of us that . you probably just prevented another death in someone elses family.
Jalayna
| Posted by: | Lu, frufru33@hotmail.com | | Subject: | none | | When: | 11:35 AM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 12.77.151.108 |
That's very sad. I'm sorry that happened!
| Posted by: | Angela L. M., AngelaM87@aol.com | | Subject: | Sorry | | When: | 1:10 PM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 205.188.197.31 |
I'm sorry about your Sugar Glider, thanks for telling everyone else.
| Posted by: | Mary/Beck, intr01dc@frank.mtsu.edu | | Subject: | I'm very sorry | | When: | 2:42 PM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 12.77.80.223 |
I am so sorry about your glider...we always read that neutering can change personalities so I undertsnad why you would think it was a personality change and not an illness. This is a very sad story. 
| Posted by: | dagny | | Subject: | none | | When: | 6:23 PM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 24.18.196.238 |
was there any connection with the fixing and the illness? I am getting my male neutered in a week and would like to know if there is anything I need to watch out for...
i am so sorry about your baby...
| Posted by: | Mary/Beck, intr01dc@frank.mtsu.edu | | Subject: | I seriously doubt it | | When: | 6:54 PM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 12.77.121.148 |
I think her point is that she assumed the glider changed because of the neutering, but in actuality was sick.
I have known many people to get their gliders neutered and most have been very succesful.
Please aslo pay attention to the dates. The glider was neutered in January of 1999. The glider just died in October 2000. Thats almost 2 years after the neutering. If the neutering is going to cause a health problem it should happen pretty quickly.
| Posted by: | Jim M, dr.goodnight@att.net | | Subject: | none | | When: | 7:15 PM, 01 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 12.75.99.227 |
I am extremely sorry for your loss, Tammy. I can't imagine the despair you went through looking for a vet. The point of her story is: Do not assume anything. If you think your glider is ill, whether physically, mentally, emotionally, etc., have them checked out. I will say that even if you are a vet, that does not mean that they know it all. There are many that do not know how to handle the gliders. The gliders can die in the hands of a vet as well as an owner. I am not saying to defer from taking them to a vet, but do not put all of that responsibility on a vet, as you would a family physician. They can only do so much! God speed, Tammy!
| Posted by: | TammyH, thowa2@yahoo.com | | Subject: | none | | When: | 5:23 PM, 02 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 146.235.4.8 |
to the top
| Posted by: | Mary/Beck, intr01dc@frank.mtsu.edu | | Subject: | Tammy | | When: | 6:34 PM, 02 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 12.77.82.252 |
Tammy this story could help eve more people if you posted it on glider central under their real stories section.
<a href=http://www.sugarglider.net>http://www.sugarglider.net</a> Click on Board Click on Real Stories
|
|
Home
Glider Gossip
Gliderpedia
Journals
Resources