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A beyond horrible weekend!!! *keep*

Posted By: Anonymous

A beyond horrible weekend!!! *keep* - 08/09/10 12:51 PM

OMG! I have had the worst weekend ever! Friday night I noticed that my boy Edward was missing a little bit of hair on his tail. I didnt think to much about it at the time so I just made sure it wasnt red or anything and went about my day. Then saturday morning I noticed that the skin under the missing hair was so raw looking it was almost bleeding! I called the vet and told him about it and he told me to come on in and he would have a look. The vet said he just had some skin irritation and sent me home with some cream and an ecollar. I ended up having to seperate him from his family and putting him in his own cage. I tried to get the ecollar on for like an hour with no luck at all. My fiance ended up having to do it for me. Anyways I put the cream on and went on with my day. Saturday night it was still extremely red and gross looking but sunday was SOOO much worse. pretty much every hair on his tail was gone! I was so scared an shaking and had to call the emergency vet line. They put me through to my vet and he said that was something that might happen but if it gets any worse to call him again. It didnt get any worse that day but this morning was a nightmare! His poor litle tail looks horrible. It like really really red and I think it might be bleeding. Im so freaked out. Whats wrong with him and what should I do!?
Posted By: Damiana

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 01:10 PM

I am sorry you are having such a rough patch at the moment hug2
I am not sure what could be going on with your little one but I am sure someone will come along soon.

maybe a picture of what his tail looks like would be helpful so we can see what is going on maybe someone will have seen it before.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 01:19 PM

I might be able to have my friend come over later and take a picture for me. I lost my usb cord to my camera and cant upload any.
Posted By: BCChins

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 01:29 PM

Is he alone and does he have his e-collar on? Can he reach his tail with the collar on? You might have to try a different type of collar as the tail is an easy place for them to reach. You also should carry him on you until you get this figured out. I would take him back to the vets so he can look at it again.

He is chewing at it some how and he will do a lot more damage if you do not keep your eye on him 24/7.

I hope you can get him healed up fast. Maybe another glider owner in your area can come by and help you determine how to get the right e-collar on him. Where are you located at?
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 01:37 PM

No I dont think he can reach it. Ive had him in a bonding pouch around my neck all morning and he hasnt touched it! I just called the vets office and my vet wont be in until 9 so hopefully I can get him in then. I live in festus. Its about and hour or more away from stl.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 02:01 PM

Just got off the phone with the vet. Got an appointment at 9:30. I'll let you all know how it goes. Gotta go!
Posted By: Gizmogirl

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 02:07 PM

Good luck at the vet and keep us posted. hug2
Posted By: hwh4ev

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 02:16 PM

i hope the vet can figure out what is going on. please keep us posted as we all learn from our gliders problems

regards,
nancy in fl/detroit
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 04:22 PM

Apparently whenever I had Edward and my two mosaic boys out one of them has bitten his tail. At least I think thats what happened. I dont think Bella would've done that to him. The bite mark was really small and not exactly where the hair loss first started. The vet showed me where hes almost certain it was at. His tail just got so infected and feverish that Edward began to try and take care of it himself I guess. The vet said there wasnt really a whole lot he could do for him and that the best thing would be to amputate his tail. frown My poor little guy is at the vets office right now. Hes supposed to be in surgery around noon or so. Im SOOO beyond upset right now. Im like [censored] out cause I cant stay there with him but I have my daughter and she cant stay in the waiting area all day.
Posted By: Sherri

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 05:00 PM

Amputate the tail for an infection? That sounds odd to me, surely they would try antibiotics first before the drastic route of amputating.
Posted By: Dancing

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 05:15 PM

Sherri, when a tail is infected, it is very easy for the infection to get into the bones or bloodstream and turn fatal fairly quick. Often amputation is the best way to go.
Posted By: Damiana

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 05:33 PM

I am sorry to hear your little guy has to lose his tail frown I hope his healing process is quick.
Posted By: suggiemom1980

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 05:51 PM

A tail amputation is a very easy and simple surgery. I had a rescue come in with a broken tail and he had to have surgery the next morning.

WARNING: GRAPHIC SURGICAL PICTURES!!!


Scraping tissue to get to healthy place
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/suggiemom1980/Riley/0219100859b.jpg

Healthy tissue
http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/suggiemom1980/Riley/?action=view&current=0219100900a.jpg

Cutting above infected tissue, into healthy tissue
http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/suggiemom1980/Riley/?action=view&current=0219100902a.jpg

Healthy remaining tail
http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/suggiemom1980/Riley/?action=view&current=0219100901b.jpg

Gluing shut
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/suggiemom1980/Riley/0219100905.jpg

Infected, broken, amputated part
http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/suggiemom1980/Riley/?action=view&current=0219100911a.jpg

If I remember right, it only took him 2-3 weeks to heal completely. He was in an ecollar the whole time and had pain meds for one week. When fur started growing over the end, I put him back with his cage mate. He did fine, all the way through the whole process.
Posted By: hpyhwn2003

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 06:03 PM

Connie what was the name of the boy who had this done?
Posted By: Laurens_Babies

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 06:27 PM

Woah that accidently scrolled to the middle of the pictures and was a tad to graphic for me, Connie maybe you could make those pictures just links?
Posted By: suggiemom1980

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 06:43 PM

Originally Posted By: hpyhwn2003
Connie what was the name of the boy who had this done?

That was Riley. He and Buddy, his cage mate, went to their new home the weekend of the SGGA.

Originally Posted By: Laurens_Babies
Woah that accidently scrolled to the middle of the pictures and was a tad to graphic for me, Connie maybe you could make those pictures just links?

Of course, Lauren! I'm so sorry!
Posted By: Sherri

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 08:13 PM

Thanks Teresa! I was worried that an amputation of the tail was a little drastic for an infection. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I'm new to injuries and amputations, so I really don't know a thing about them.

I really hope and pray that your little one recovers quickly and is back to hisself in no time. Many hugs and prayers for you and your little one.
Posted By: Dancing

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/09/10 08:25 PM

Another consideration with tail injuries. If they are severe and do heal without amputation, there is a chance that scar tissue will form cutting off blood supply to the part of the tail below the injury causing the glider to have to have an amputation anyway.

Tail amputations are fairly easy for the VET to do and recovery is generally fairly quick for the glider. Most gliders do really well with a partial or even a full tail amputation. It effects their steering when gliding but I haven't seen any other negative effect to the glider. Weighing that against the chance for infection to spread, posibly costing the glider his/her life, I'd amputate every time.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/10/10 01:39 PM

Hey everyone! Just thought id pop in and give ya a little update on Edward. I got him home yesterday evening and he seemed to be doing just fine. Hes almost acting like theres nothing wrong. I really hope he doesnt freak out about not having a tail. Thanks for all the support.
Posted By: Gizmogirl

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/10/10 01:40 PM

I am glad to hear that Edward is home and doing well. He should be just fine, he will have a pretty normal life without the tail. Just need some extra loving right now.
Posted By: minkasmom

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/10/10 03:40 PM

I really need to upload some pics of my "nub-tail gangs"...I have 4 with hardly anything on their behinds, 4 more with the black end parts missing, and a handful who are "normal".

There IS life after a tail amputation...they just become "hoppers & jumpers" instead of gliding to their maximum potential. And I love each and every one of them as much as the others. mlove
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/10/10 04:05 PM

Glad to hear Edward is home with you and in his familiar surroundings! I'm sure he will be fine! Lots of owners here have gliders with missing tails/parts of them and they live very happy comfy lives.

What happens after an amp? I'm assuming they go home with antibiotics, just in case?? I guess pain meds aren't necessary for a tail amp? Just wondering.
Posted By: Dancing

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/10/10 04:25 PM

Yes, pain meds should be given as well as antibiotics. And precautions need to be taken to make sure he leaves the end of his tail alone or he could (probably would) self mutilate it again.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/11/10 01:51 PM

The vet put him on some pain medicine and antibiotics. He also has to keep the ecollar on for a week or so. Not to sure about that I have to take him back monday for a checkup. I just hate seein my poor little boy with that ecollar on. He looks so sad. frown
Posted By: Dancing

Re: A beyond horrible weekend!!! - 08/11/10 03:57 PM

Although he looks so sad, it is important that he not do any more damage to his tail. And it doesn't get easier when they give you those "sad eyes" begging for you to take the collar off them.

If you are comfortable taking off the ecollar and being able to put it back on, you can take it off him for a bit as long as you are right there to stop him if he goes after his tail. If you are not able to put the collar on by yourself though, PLEASE just leave it on him.

When I had a glider (there have been more than one) with a tail injury, during the day after their pain meds were given, I would take off the collar, wrap the glider up like a burrito in a peice of fleece so they couldn't get to their tail and I would either hold the glider or stick him (all have been males) in my shirt. It is CRUITIAL that you are constantly watching them if they are not in their collar. It only takes a few seconds for them to chew open their wound. The ones I had seemed to sleep better wrapped like a burrito and were less stressed. But as soon as they started waking, the collar went back on.

Again, DO NOT DO THIS unless you are able to get the collar back on again.
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