Jack with abscess

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daj

Post   » Thu Jun 23, 2022 9:29 am


I am having trouble with Jack and at a point of not knowing what to do. He had stones years ago. I put him on a high fluid diet by soaking hay in water, a sweetener like cantaloupe juice or apple juice concentrate, liquefied pellets and shilintong. I would also feed him the liquid by syringe. He would be super cooperative, taking in a full bottle's worth of water, about 6 oz., sometimes even more, per day. He passed two stones. In time I thought I could ease up on this regimen, by he eventually got stones again. I put him right back on what worked before, and he seemed great for a long time. I don't know the status of the second appearance of the stones, but he was doing well, so that was good enough.

After, maybe a year, he is now refusing to cooperate with the diet. Lately he's just not himself. His fluid intake is way down, and he won't take much by syringe, even when I sit him on my lap and try to force it. Whereas he used to take, like 30 syringes, 4 x a day, he's now getting about 4, 4x per day, in addition to what little wet hay he's eating. I'm also trying to get him to eat as much watermelon as he will take. At first I assumed it's a recurrence of the stones, but I did hear him sneeze about 4 x over the weekend.

I had him seen by an exotics vet yesterday. I got a really good sample of urine. She checked him thoroughly. He peed and pooped a ton in his box and on the exam table. She said his bladder felt thickened, but she felt no stones. They charged me almost $100 for the urinalysis. $30 for sediment only and another $62 for SediVue Dx,whatever that is. She said his urine was boring, exactly what she wants to see, with no crystals. She didn't even mention doing an x-ray. She thought he has an allergy, so I am to try an over the counter allergy med for 48 hrs. and check back.

Meanwhile he squealed with some pain last night. When he's not feeling well he sits with his face in the corner of the cage, and that was where I found him. I syringed some fluid two times during the night and gave him watermelon, but I don't know how much of it he ate. This morning he hasn't much appetite and won't take much liquid. I am thinking I need an x-ray, but would appreciate any input.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Thu Jun 23, 2022 11:51 am


I'd want an x-ray. Feeling for stones is useless, IMO.

How old is Jack?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Jun 23, 2022 1:34 pm


Ditto bpatters. It sounds like he may be in some pain too. Is he getting any pain medication?

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Thu Jun 23, 2022 5:33 pm


Absolutely. Get an x-ray. My guess is another stone.

daj

Post   » Thu Jun 23, 2022 11:11 pm


I was able to get him x-rayed today. He has no stones. I was amazed and relieved for that. But, it seems to be digestive. She said he's back up with feces and that's why he's uncomfortable. She couldn't say if there was some sort of blockage. He does not have a great deal of gas build up, but I will try simethicone at 50 mg. every 12 hrs. He is pooping and peeing well. It's weird. After I got off the phone with her (I had to have my sister take him bcs I took off time yesterday to take him in and couldn't ask to do it again today.) I remember that months ago he pulled off the rubber tip a 1 ml syringe and ate it before I could get at it. I have no idea if he passed it. I wonder if it could still be in him. Wouldn't the x-ray show it if it was? Other than that I know of nothing else. I thought he was just getting tired of the mixture/routine. He seems surprisingly good when I got home. He was eager for tomato, ate some wet hay & pellets and later some honey dew melon.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Jun 24, 2022 7:55 am


That is good news. Likely the rubber tip is not an issue, especially if this was months ago. Probably would not show up in an xray anyway.

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