I just can't get over how similar it is to Peanut's leg, except I seen it happen. The bone was the same, foot the same, even the toes. My prayers will be with you and your little one.
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: ]
#546088 05/07/0811:06 PM05/07/0811:06 PM
Once again, thank you all so much for your support! Special thank you to Suz and Val for their willingness to talk me through this little nightmare and help me to see light at the end of the tunnel.
Update: I have some good news and some bad news. I suppose the good news should come first: Ben is doing excellent! He is active, happy, eating like a little piggie, moving around like he doesn't have a care in the world. He does fall over every now and then and loses his balance a lot, but he is undaunted in his courage and just gets right back up!
Now for the bad news: It is so hard for me to type this, and it seems so surreal, like a bad nightmare, but it is not. I went to feed Ben's parents tonight and couldn't find his mother (Elsa) in the pouch. Went to look in their little ball pit and there she was... but something was horribly wrong. She was very frightened and when I took her out, I began to weep. Her right arm is badly injured. No compound fracture, but possibly broken and very swollen and red with a couple of bite wounds. Please see the pictures I posted for more of an idea.
I am unsure what to make of this. I do not know what the future will hold for my precious breeding trio. I am now thinking that my male (Max), who has been the epitome of sainthood for the past two years, has suddenly snapped and become aggressive.
Or could it be that the other female, Mindy, is the aggessor? Max, Mindy, and Elsa have been perfectly content and totally happy for the past two years and I can't imagine what has occured to change all that.
Anyway, Elsa will be going to the vet in the morning. I put a collar on her and gave her a dose of Ben's Metacam and Baytril just to get her through the night. I will deal with tomorrow when it comes.
Thank you all again... I couldn't be strong without your continued support
I am a homeschool mom to four girls and seven sugar gliders; an annoying ponderer of deep thoughts; a purposeful meanderer on walks and strolls; a prayerful wonderer and marveler; a friend to many small creatures, and an Undercover Agent for the Kingdom which cannot be shaken...Nice to meet you!
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: WholeheartMom]
#546147 05/08/0803:03 AM05/08/0803:03 AM
Gracious what a Nightmare. Sooo sorry as to what is happening to the stable family unit.
I would think if the trio was having difficulties with the living arrangements you would hear them fighting from time to time.
The little boy will adjust to his handicap in time.
As to the little mother... have you checked out their sleeping pouch? Is there anything inside the cage that she may have gotten tangled in? Gliders if caught on something will attempt or even chew their foot/hand off to escape what is restricting their movement to freedom.
Sending Get Well Wishes for your little family of gliders.
You know, my gliders have their own bedroom which is down the hall from me, and although I hear occasional barking, I never hear any downright fighting.
As for the sleeping pouch, yes I checked it and I saw no stray threads. My gliders have had the same toys for quite a while, I just rotate them around a little bit. I don't see how any of the toys could have caused this, but Suz suggested that I take all the toys with me to the vets and let them have a look at them.
I can see some small bite wounds on Elsa's hand, but I am not sure if they are self-inflicted or a result of an attack. This puzzle is quite hard to put together! Their toenails are kept trimmed by the Stealth wheel trim track, so I don't think they got their nail caught in anything.
Dang, I wish Gliders could talk!
I am a homeschool mom to four girls and seven sugar gliders; an annoying ponderer of deep thoughts; a purposeful meanderer on walks and strolls; a prayerful wonderer and marveler; a friend to many small creatures, and an Undercover Agent for the Kingdom which cannot be shaken...Nice to meet you!
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: WholeheartMom]
#546153 05/08/0804:27 AM05/08/0804:27 AM
I felt so horrible for you when you called last evening Please know that you will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers as you go through this terrible ordeal. You are on the right track with trying to solve the mystery. We discussed many things last evening and hopefully one of them will pan out so you can get to the bottom of this. Know that I am here for you
Oh my I am happy for Ben but so sorry for you and his Mom. I hope she does not need surgery too. We will keep everyone in our thoughts. Great Big hugs to you all.
Have a Good Day Brenda & Mr. Magoo
Friendly Reminder please have an e-collar ready before you need it......
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: sugarglidersuz]
#546171 05/08/0806:48 AM05/08/0806:48 AM
I, too, felt my heart break at this news. I wish I could just run over there and give you a hug and some support. You and Elsa are in my prayers today. I am anxious to hear how her vet visit goes.
You are doing great so far. I wish these mysteries were easily solved. But, no matter, you will soon have Elsa and Ben both healed up and causing you to wonder in many different ways.
~~ Val B ~~ 806-803-0318 Daily giving the abused, unloved, unwanted and neglected SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN
PLEASE COMPLETE YOUR SUGAR GROUP SURVEYS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: Jackie_Chans_Mom]
#546190 05/08/0807:38 AM05/08/0807:38 AM
Went to look in their little ball pit and there she was
Could they possibly be getting hurt in the ball pit??
I remember not long ago Mimijo found her glider *stuck* in the ball pit and warned everyone.
So sorry you are going through this, but I agree with Judie, if the group has been fighting you are sure to hear it or even see it yourself at one point.
I am thinking it is something in the cage itself that may be doing this...
I just got back from the vet... Good news is that the long bones seems to be intact, but we can't be sure about the hand bones. I chose to forego an x-ray since it probably wouldn't change the course of treatment.
The vet is positive this is a bite injury. There are several small bite marks and one larger one up higher. The arm is quite infected and swollen, but once the infection is treated she should be fine.
She is on Baytril, Metacam, and Silver sulfadizine ointment. They had to put her in a e-collar and she is not tolerating it well at all... she pulls it off every time no matter how tight we put it. My challenge is trying to get her to stop grooming her foot, wear her collar and allow the ointment to stay in place.
Thanks so much for your prayers and thoughts... they are definitely making an impact!
I am a homeschool mom to four girls and seven sugar gliders; an annoying ponderer of deep thoughts; a purposeful meanderer on walks and strolls; a prayerful wonderer and marveler; a friend to many small creatures, and an Undercover Agent for the Kingdom which cannot be shaken...Nice to meet you!
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: Srlb]
#546256 05/08/0809:50 AM05/08/0809:50 AM
Thanks for the info about the ball pit. I may remove it just in case... Never hurts to be proactive at this point!
Last edited by WholeheartMom; 05/08/0809:51 AM.
I am a homeschool mom to four girls and seven sugar gliders; an annoying ponderer of deep thoughts; a purposeful meanderer on walks and strolls; a prayerful wonderer and marveler; a friend to many small creatures, and an Undercover Agent for the Kingdom which cannot be shaken...Nice to meet you!
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: WholeheartMom]
#546264 05/08/0810:10 AM05/08/0810:10 AM
You are doing an amazing job with these little ones . I am so sorry about Elsa! This whole situation must be baffling and so stressful. Many good thoughts, and lots of prayers for all of you!
Karin
Miss Lily and Bud Prada and Armani Tessa, Deuce and Cami
OH wow, I just read through this whole post and I'm trying to hold back the tears after reading about all this and seeing those oh so heartbreaking pictures. I hope the best for you and your babies. I am in awe of your courage. Your babies have a great mommy! , Kim
Kim
You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses. -Ziggy
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: KimeyDiann]
#546310 05/08/0811:02 AM05/08/0811:02 AM
Ben is doing great! He is the most amazing glider... so spirited and determined in spite of his obvious handicap. He has also developed this cute little grumbling sound to let me know he is not happy when I give him his meds! Otherwise, he doesn't even crab at all and is healing so very nicely.
Elsa is not responding like I was hoping. She has had four doses of Baytril and three of Metacam and her arm is still very red and quite swollen.
I am wondering if I should ask to have her antibiotic switched, or should I give it some more time- any ideas?
Also, I am having extreme difficulty keeping an e-collar on her. She is my most laid back and docile glider, very gentle and easy-going, but she refuses to keep that collar on and she is quite adept at wiggling out of it no matter how tight I make it. That means she licks the ointment (silver sulfadizine) off her arm and I am not sure what that is going to do to her.
For now, I am still allowing Max and Mindy to share a cage while Ben and Elsa have their own separate hospital cages. So far, neither Max nor Mindy have been injured by the other, which is a good thing but I would very much like my trio to be reunited and happy again. I will just have to wait and see how things turn out.
I am a homeschool mom to four girls and seven sugar gliders; an annoying ponderer of deep thoughts; a purposeful meanderer on walks and strolls; a prayerful wonderer and marveler; a friend to many small creatures, and an Undercover Agent for the Kingdom which cannot be shaken...Nice to meet you!
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: WholeheartMom]
#547121 05/09/0810:35 AM05/09/0810:35 AM
My heart is aching SO BADLY for the ordeals you're going through! Have an extra from me and my gang.
I figured out a "little trick" on keeping the shot glass e-collars in place when you have a wiggle worm like Elsa: If you take an extra piece of duct tape (masking tape, medical tape, whatever you're using) and put it on the BACK of the e-collar at the TOP, that doesn't allow the overlap to slip & won't allow it to loosen at all! She won't know it's there because (thankfully) they don't have eyes on the TOP of their head but it'll keep things a LOT more stable.
The BEST part is that you won't have to tape the e-collar to her body either...so no fur gets pulled out when you have to "change it out".
Can you tell I've been there just a little TOO OFTEN with having to use e-collars? It's sad but true...I can almost make one being half-asleep.
Minkasmom (Papillon Kisses) Slave to: 25 gliders,4 cats, and ONE husband (can't handle two, lol!) Remembering all my lost loves
Re: Horrible compound fracture... may need amputat
[Re: minkasmom]
#547246 05/09/0801:58 PM05/09/0801:58 PM
Also, I am having extreme difficulty keeping an e-collar on her. She is my most laid back and docile glider, very gentle and easy-going, but she refuses to keep that collar on and she is quite adept at wiggling out of it no matter how tight I make it. That means she licks the ointment (silver sulfadizine) off her arm and I am not sure what that is going to do to her.
If you can get someone to help you, gently pull her head forward from her shoulders before you put the e-collar on. That makes it fit a bit better. Hopefully, someone can describe it better?
You are amazing to be able to keep your spirits so uplifted through all of this! Hoping and praying for these two that things get better, and quickly. YOU deserve, a great big group .
Karin
Miss Lily and Bud Prada and Armani Tessa, Deuce and Cami