You may have luck getting some Ensure in her <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" />. My prayers are with you and your baby girl <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Re: Jaundiced
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#39382 03/14/0504:07 AM03/14/0504:07 AM
Sorry, just caught this after you IMed me, but might as well post for the benefit of others- mine love Strawberry, and I know lots of people have luck with the Berry flavor as well. My little guy stopped eating and drinking completely after he had surgery a few weeks ago, and that was the only thing I could get him to take. I fed him the Ensure through a syringe for 24 hours or so and then he pepped up. Like I told you, I'm really truly keeping her and you in my prayers <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Re: Jaundiced
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#39384 03/14/0504:56 AM03/14/0504:56 AM
Thank you, SouthernBell, for your help. It is greatly appreciated.
Deirdre is barely hanging in there. Her eyes are half closed; her forehead wrinkles up due to severe dehydration; her coloring is a very sickly yellow. I keep trying to hydrate her with a variety of fluids every half hour. She is still taking the Hawaiian Delight and nothing else. Right now, she needs a healthy dose of a sub-q and I hope to get that in her at the vet's later this morning.
We took Deirdre in to the vet's this morning. Dr. Ruch gave her a sub-q injection to get her hydrated and came in and had a long talk with us. He went over the bloodwork results with us. He concluded that it was possibly a toxic issue in Deirdre's case, as he could not find anything else that contributed to her jaundice, other than the AST and ALT results. He contacted VIN but had not heard anything from them. We gave him Lucy's vet's name and phone number for future reference. We asked him what he compared the AST and ALT results with and he said it did not matter cuz they were so high anyhow.
We are to adminster Deirdre with lactulose syrup because she is not eating and Ursodiol, which is a liver detoxifier. We also asked for and obtained a bag of saline solution and syringes and needles so we could sub-q her ourselves.
My husband has now nicknamed Deirdre "Daffodil", cuz she is sooo yellow. Meanie!
Jennifer, GOD! shes hangin in there good huh! thank god for that, Im so glad the dr. gave you some things to take home...I hope everything is going...fairly ok? Also, I think it would be helpful to all of us who dont know what a jaundiced glider should/would look like, if you have a picture, or could take one of her, I think that would be really beneficial. Im so happy to hear shes made it this far, Ill keep my fingers crossed for all of you! *hugs*
okay I'm new and I dont even have gliders yet but if it is a toxicty issue i would like to suggest asking your vet if it could be a possible vitamin D3 overdose, you said you were feeding bml...(god i hope i dont step on any toes here with this one)... i read in an article about bml for sugar gliders that the rep-cal supplements cause liver damage/failure in gliders because reptiles need alot of D3 to process calcium or something anyway reptiles process their vitamins through UV exposure where as sugargliders process it through the "gut" nutritionally... so since they process it differently and gliders dont bask in the UV all day vitD3 builds up and can cause overdose... now, I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE... i dont want to offend anyone that supports BML, heck i support bml, i just figure it might be something you want to speak with your vet about and see if it is a possibility.
go here and click the information button on the left then scroll about 1/4 down the page, the article is underneath the "is a sugar glider right for you" section the link to the article is:
hope this helps, sorry if it doesnt. hang in there and good luck. your baby will be in our <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" />s,
Re: Jaundiced
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#39390 03/15/0512:48 AM03/15/0512:48 AM
Here are some jaundice pictures. When these were taken, Ozzy was still acting alert and interested in the world, so you'll notice he's looking yellow, but not extremely sick.
This is more extreme jaundice. My vet thought that the brightness of the yellow was because Ozzy was also anemic and that since he didn't have any pink underneath, the jaundice was really bright. I don't have pics of when he first got sick (before he became anemic), but the yellow was "muddier" in color, not nearly as bright.
~Lynn
Re: Jaundiced
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#39391 03/15/0512:51 AM03/15/0512:51 AM
I am so glad she is hanging in there...I told you she would...she is fighting because she knows you are...I got to thinking about the AST and ALT...Is it possible to have a healthy glider tested and then compare the results with that?? as stated before what may appear high in one animal may be normal in another...
You are all in my prayers!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Oh...P.S...when you have a sec drop me a PM and let me know if you asked the vet what I mentioned and if so what his answer was...
Re: Jaundiced
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#39395 03/15/0501:26 AM03/15/0501:26 AM
Jennifer, Sorry Deirdre is having trouble. A couple thoughts responding to questions or comments made in the post.
The normal state is to not be jaundiced. So, either there is increased production or decreased removal of the bilirubin. Bilirubin is the breakdown of the heme molecule in red blood cells. So, the normal red cell count (in the CBC) is helpful, knowing that there is not increased destruction of the red line making extra jaundice from that cause. Bone marrow cancers causing increased red production can happen, but this doesn't sound like a fit with the ALT & AST.
Elevated liver enzymes can come from toxins, infections, diet issues, or even obstruction of outflow of bile from the duct from liver to gut. Gall bladder stones, common bile duct infection, and cancers or obstruction of the duct can cause this. You can't do much for cancers or stones without surgery, but you can sure cover for infection. A good gram negative and anaerobic bacterial antibiotic would be important.
Viral infection like our hepatitis viruses can do it. Those may be self-limited and one can get better without treatment, but the same viral infection can lead to fulminant hepatitis and progressive worsening. There is really no treatment.
Light treatment is hard to justify. The intensity of indirect window light is not very powerful. Nocturnal animals don't see much sun, if any. Fur also covers the skin. The light hitting the bare skin adds energy to the bilirubin molecule, and it changes shape making it more water soluble. Then one can both pee it out and excrete it in the gut instead of having to lose it all in the stools. In the right situation (not a glider situation), intense light might drop the bilirubin and thus jaundice a little, but it doesn't treat the thing that caused it in the first place. Don't bother.
So, tough problem. Several causes not easily treatable in a glider. Coverage for bacterial infection is a must. Even though several causes are not of bacterial origin, it is one thing you may be able to help, so I'd pounce on her with antibiotics, and pray for one of the self-limited causes. I hope this doesn't sound too pessimistic, as it is meant to help. I hope she does well. Good luck.
Re: Jaundiced
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#39396 03/15/0501:27 AM03/15/0501:27 AM
About a half hour ago, as I was holding her in my hands, she was gasping for her last breath. I did not know it then, but came to realize it shortly after. I put Deirdre's body into Audrey's cage for Audrey to say her final good-bye to her cagemate of about two years. Needless to say, Audrey has already started to mope over her loss of her best friend.
Tomorrow morning I will take Deirdre's body back to the vet for a necropsy.
Thank you for thinking of us and pulling for us. I appreciate it, more than you would ever know. Thank you for being there for us.
Everyone, thank you so much for all the help and advice you have given us. I cannot tell you how much you guys have helped me through this rough time. You are family, I love you guys.
Good-bye, my sweetie <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" /> Deirdre, may you rest in peace.
Jennifer
Re: Jaundiced
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#39397 03/15/0501:31 AM03/15/0501:31 AM
OMG Jennifer.. that has to be one of the saddest stories ever... I hope you are doing well... please hang in there. She really was a fighter! The passing of your baby is a loss of this whole forum... I do know that you have done everything and more than you could have ever done for your little one. I'm talking to you AIM right now, but I just wanted you to know that I am here for ya if ever you need someone to talk to, babe! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Re: Jaundiced
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#39399 03/15/0501:37 AM03/15/0501:37 AM
I am so sorry Jen, I was pulling for Deidre to make it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" />. Rest in peace sweet little one.
Karin
Miss Lily and Bud Prada and Armani Tessa, Deuce and Cami
ohh Jen, I'm soo very sorry to hear of her passing!! I know we were all pulling for her... at least she knew she was loved! times like these always make me wish there was something that could be said to truly ease your pain, though I know there really isn't!
again, I'm very sorry to hear a/b your loss!
Re: Jaundiced
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#39404 03/15/0503:04 AM03/15/0503:04 AM
Jen...She knew how much you loved her and were fighting for her...that's why she wanted to cuddle you so much...to ease your pain...I wish I could be there in person with you tomorrow morning but since I can't I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers...If you need anything just let me know...And remember...she is waiting there at the Rainbow Bridge...playing and biding her time until she can be with you forever!!!
Re: Jaundiced
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#39405 03/15/0508:00 AM03/15/0508:00 AM
We were so hopeing that something could be done to save this little girl. Our hearts go out to you and hubby. Mary & I know the pain too well of loseing one of our little friends. Charlie H
I am so sorry for your loss. May your little one rest in peace <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I hope you will allow the Death Database to share your story with the rest of the Glider Community, so that we may learn from your babies brave struggle. My thoughts and prayers are with you in this most difficult times.
Re: Jaundiced
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#39407 03/15/0510:36 AM03/15/0510:36 AM
I am still in a shock. I just cannot believe that she actually crossed over. I guess it it was too much for Deirdre to take. I tried everything to keep her here with us.
I am glad I was holding her in my hands, loving her with all of my love, as she drew her last breath.
I just cannot believe she is actually gone. I need a hug. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/needhug.gif" alt="" /> Sorry if I am too sappy.
Re: Jaundiced
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#39408 03/15/0511:00 AM03/15/0511:00 AM