I'm sorry for posting to emergency - I'm having technical difficulties registering.

This may qualify anyway, and I really need advice.

I have to make a decision whether to euthanize my female glider and I don't know what to do.

Cut to the Chase: She has ripped all the skin off her stomach, from her pouch to cloaca, pelvis to pelvis. We are treating aggressively, but 56 hours later she is no better... and maybe worse. vet says prognosis is not good, and we need to consider euthanizing. I need to know if there is ANYTHING we can try that we aren't already doing that might save my girl's life.

The Long Version: We have two gliders, a rescued, bonded, formerly pet store breeding pair. We've had them a little over a year. They are beloved pets, and my 10 year old daughter loves them madly. Their names are Calvin and Susie.

At 11pm on Monday night, my son saw Susie on the mesh of the cage and screamed for me. The skin on her belly is just... gone. She's never SM before, never fights with Calvin, and she's the more laid back of the two. It happened out of *nowhere.* I called the emergency vet. The vet on call doesn't do exotics and is going into surgery. I pack Susie up and go there anyway. They give her some anti-inflammatory and we modify a bird cone for her. They send us home with instructions to call in the morning for an appointment with the exotics vet. We get home at 2:30am and I sit up with her the rest of the night to watch her. She's eating, drinking, peeing and pooping fine.

The next day (Tuesday) the exotics vet sedates her, irrigates and debrides the wound, applies the therapeutic laser, and prescribes topical (silver sulfadiazine) and oral antibiotic (trimeth sulfa), anti-parasitic (revolution), opiate pain reliever (Buprenex), and NSAID pain reliever / anti-inflammatory (metacam). Still eating, drinking, peeing fine. Seems constipated. My husband starts building a split cage so we can keep her and Calvin separated, but close. In the meantime, I sleep with her in a travel carrier next to me on the bed. Calvin wakes us up all night, barking for her.

Yesterday (Wednesday) was tragic. My dear husband, who stayed home to watch her, didn't understand it was an emergency when she worked herself free of her e-jacket. I found out an hour later when he brought her to me at work to change her bandages. She had bloodied all the margins where the vet trimmed away necrotic skin. I stayed up with her all night again, trying to keep clean bandages on, keep her from bleeding, get her to eat. She ate a little, drank a little, but was in obvious pain. Still no pooping. (My poor husband is devastated. He didn't realize.)

Back to the vet first thing this morning. Got the "lead" exotic vet this time - an amazing woman. She used the laser again, upped the dosage of the metacam, and prescribed a nerve-pain medication that she's used successfully for SM before. She switched the dressings to a hydrophilic foam to keep the wound cleaner without allowing it to dry out. We go back for another laser treatment tomorrow and again on Monday. We talked about prozac for later if she pulls through.

But she also said the prognosis is *not* good. It's the worst wound she's ever seen on a glider. We had no warning, no smoking gun for why it happened. Even IF her little body is able to fight off infection, rebuild that much skin, there's no guarantee she won't do it again... Dr. Cavell didn't recommend euthanasia, but said we needed to be realistic about her chances and consider her long-term quality of life.

I am prepared to euthanize if we have to, but it felt premature today. I said if we could manage her pain, we should try the modified treatments through Monday to see if she improves.

So, my sweet girl has until Monday unless we can help her... Please - if we've left any stone unturned, if there's anything you can think for me to try, please tell me. Or, if we are trying too hard and putting her through too much, tell me that too.

Thank you
Sarah

skwilson @ thatchermathias com
8.5.0...4.5.9...2.9.2.1

Hi,

First, I a haven't been through this, I'm here for moral support. But I will contact admin. for you.

Prayers for you and your little one.

In the meantime, what issues are you having registering?

Can you post pictures of her wound? Where are you located?

Sarah,

Can you make something like what is in the pictures I attached. I believe these are toy animal or doll shirts that are sewing together.

This photo is from Monday night, before the vet. It's poor quality - she was very wiggly. All of the tan skin was drying out and had to be removed when the doctor debrided the wound the next day. When I change her dressing in half an hour I will try to get some photos from today.

(We are in North Florida - Tallahassee)

It isn't as big as I thought it was, I will be looking for todays pictures.

It will give me an idea of what has progressed since it started.

Thank you for posting the first pic. Wow...

Oh, and

to Glider Central!

So glad you're here!

Sarah,

Now that your registered I am going to move this thread to Health & Hygiene.

Perfect - thank you!

These pictures are from tonight. They look awful... but keep in mind the wetness and matting in the fur is from the gobs of antibiotic cream I'm slathering on 3x a day.

The last picture is after we changed the bandage and she's wrapped up again warm and snug.

Poor baby! I hope she makes it.

Sarah get yourself some Vetericyn VF (click on the highlighted word for the link). I would try to spray the entire area 2 X's a day minimum.

It will help flush the wound to keep it clean. A lot of people have had good results with it.

Please keep posting pictures and updates as we are all here to help you.