Gwen,
Sorry I didn't see this before I had experience with this type of swelling 3 times - twice with Cricky and once with Pika. Both times with Cricky, the swelling on the cheek was an abscess that developed. The pressure from the abscess pushed the eye forward and cause it to look swollen. The second time, a fistula (drainage canal) developed that allowed the abscess to drain and the vet was able to send out a sample of the pus for a C&S. Turned out he had a severe staph infection in his sinus cavity and they were able to prescribe a specialty antibiotic to clear it up. Never recurred after that.
With Pika the swelling was actually in the eye itself. Secondary glaucoma due to the primary infection. Eye drops and antibiotics eventually cleared it up, too. The antibiotic prescribed and used was SMZ/TMP in her case.
With all 3 infections, the teeth were not involved at all, so be aware that with Ivy it could be the teeth, but it could also be the sinuses. Thanks for the updates. I'll be keeping little Ivy (and Howie, too) in my thoughts and prayers

PM sent Suz...needing more info

Aww Gwen! Poor Ivy!! The poor little thing! I hope the baytril sarts to clear it up for you and you don't have a more serious problem!

I'll be watching for updates too, and I hope that You are blessed with another joey too! It would be spoiled rotton! I'm sure Howie is going to make a huge turn around too, which will be nice! lol

48 hours...I do not think there has been any improvement yet besides her nose color looking better. We will be visiting the vet tomorrow. ERRRR!

Aww, Gwen I am sorry! Hopefully with in the nezt 24 hours you'll see a big improvment! Keep us posted hun!

You know I will! I am thinking of calling and having my vet talk to me. I want to ask him personally if he has dealt with sinus problems in gliders before...and if not we will be taking her somewhere else for treatment. Not that I want to pay for another checkup...because you KNOW that is starndard EVERYWHERE you go...ugh...but I will. That is what I got the Care Credit for.

You could also do a phone consult with a knowlegable glider vet. I go to the same vet as Xfilefan Jen and she's a godsend as far as vets and suggies go! She's told me before she's more than happy to do phone consults with other vets - PM me if you want her info. Please give us an update asap - hoping for the best!!

Thanks Linda. I am still waiting to hear back from Suz...but I have all night yet...so we are good. Lol. I am just SO TIRED of her being sick already...my poor little sweetheart! She is one of my sweetest gliders. One of the few that I am brave enough to kiss. She even puts her nose up to mine!!! My boys are all WAY too hyper...lol...and I will not risk then taking my eye out getting all excited...lol. Her and Gracie are my snuggle babies...and I just want my Ivy better soon. I hate to see her so sad looking. Ugh...my little hunny!

and prayers you get her healthy soon, Gwen!! Poor little girl!

Thanks Brenda. I am pretty upset I have not seen an improvement yet. I am sure Ashley...member 10,001 is bringing in her new boy tomorrow. So I am just going to talk to my vet and have her with me with since I am going with for support during the neuter. If he can not help me I am off to another vet. grumble grumble.

Called my vet to inquire if he has Exp with Sinus/staph infections. Will hear back sometime within the night. Hopefully he can deal with it...otherwise I will have him consult with the other vet or find a new one to fix her up for now.

Ok...we have an appointment tomorrow to put her under and have it drained. Anthing in particular I need to know guys? This scares the ____ out of me!!!

Well, you'll have me and Ashley there for support

I know...it is just that they have to cut her face open...ugh. The thought of it!!! I already do not like the idea of anesthesia.

And I have to be there to support little Nicias who will be leaving pomless!!! He'll be allright...lol...Howie was a super pain and he is just fine...just so long as we remember the mealies...he will be fine. Can't be any worse a screamer than Howie was...geesh!

Oh I know. I wouldn't be happy about it either.

Nicias is really good about things so far anyway. I'm more concerned about Ivy than Nicias.

Do still have her teeth checked as well. Riker had sinus/face infections and his teeth were fine. Lyah's were dental. It could be either until one is ruled out. I'm sorry her swelling isn't down yet-

Gwen, so sorry I didn't see this till now! I'm praying for her to get well fast and your boy to heal quickly from his neuter.

Yes...the Dr is putting her under anesthesia and will be draining her cheek among what else I am unsure at this time. The appt is at night...so when you guys do not hear about it till late...that is why. It will be late when we get home.

My boy is doing great. This will be his last day of pain meds. He was on every 6 hours...I bumped it to 8 hours and now bumped it again to 12 and he is doing just awesome. I gave Ivy a little of the pain meds since she has been so swollen. Poor gil. She is out eating right now...so that is a good thing for sure!

Squeaky and I will have to get a vid of this girl and her medicine taking habits. She is just a godsend. Never a problem getting her to take meds...she licks them right up out of a syringe and basically begs for more. Lol. It is TOO cute.

We hope for the best tomorrow. I am still not happy to be having to go through this all. Hopefully she ends up OK and the vet does not charge me a million dollars. Ugh.

Gwen,
I read your updates in the thread and see that you have an appointment for this morning and the vet plans to drain the abscess. That is a very good thing. It will be a tiny incision but allowing the infection to drain out will help it to heal better and faster. Make sure the vet gets a sample of the drainage to send out for Culture & Sensitivity (results usually take a few days because they have to try to figure out which antibiotic will work to kill of any infection present). This will tell you EXACTLY what type of infection is present and whether or not the Baytril will be enough or if a different antibiotic is needed for it. Don't be frustrated if the test comes back "negative" - keep in mind that if the Baytril is the right antibiotic then the test may not show any bacteria at all and that is a good thing!
Still have the vet check Ivy's teeth... as Jen/Xfilefan said, it could be an abscessed tooth.
Please keep my numbers handy and call me if you need me - you know I don't mind. I will be at work today from about 9 - 2 Eastern Time (my cell doesn't work there, so use my work number if between those hours). My numbers are:
home 440-953-0904
toll-free 866-399-4476
cell 440-520-4799
work 440-846-2665
If you try home or cell and get the machine, please leave a message...
I hope everything goes okay My thoughts & prayers are with you

K...I'm going to say this once because I'm short on time, and don't think I'm being understood.

Have the teeth checked BEFORE opening the cheek. It very well may not be the issue, but IF it is a tooth....

1. Lancing the cheek will do NOTHING but cost money, and pain for the glider

2. Will NOT get rid of the infection because the root cause will still be there.

Also, have the vet try with a needle to see if there even IS a pocket TO drain. If there isn't, and it's a diffused infection (like Riker's was), opening the cheek again will be worthless for healing, a waste of money, and put the glider through pain and greater risk of infection for nothing.

Since they should put her under to cut anyway, checking the teeth shouldn't be a problem, and could save a lot of unnecessary procedure...if it's not, they can still continue. But if you don't look, and that IS where the problem is, you'll be right back at square one in a few days and have to put her through this all over again. I've had gliders on both ends of this-to LOOK at them, you wouldn't have been able to tell how different the type of issue was-a swollen face is a swollen face, but the causes can vary to produce the SAME symptomology.

Gwen, how is your girl? I didn't mean to sound short earlier, I just don't want you and her to go through this over and over like I did with some of mine in the learning process (and I was SO tired)-I've already been there to the tune of over $5000.00 (and yes, that is THOUSAND). Every spare cent I have plus several hundred in credit I'm paying off. If they don't check the right things in the right order, you'll go through what I did.

Please, an update?

Yes...an update. We also took in Ashley's boy and had some problems with him...so that is part of where I am at...going to post now...

Ivy was put under anesthesia...her teeth were fine. My vet did not find any apparent issues. He checked her cheek...lanced it and found nothing to drain. We are to continue antibiotic and are now using pain meds due to the incision under her eye. She had blood on her face when he brought her back to me but she was acting great. Still brought tears to my eyes though. She is acting great...woke up sweet as usual after the anesthesia. Now it is so far not teeth and so far no liqid to drain...so I am completely lost.

Oh boy.. I hope she gets well soon and over whatever it is making her swell.

Could there be an abcess somewhere the vet couldn't see Jen? Sinus infection? a tiny splinter or teensy cut that got bacteria in it?

I'm at a loss Gwen. Praying the antibiotics work fast!

BTW...my vet is willing to work with me. My visit was not too expensive. He charged me for anesthesia, pain meds and a minor visit...he did not charge me the full surgical procedure...yay.

I told him to check teeth and if it was teeth to do what was needed. If it was not teeth to test for a pocket and get a sample for C&S. It was not teeth...he continued to lance her cheeck over testing I guess...dunno...not sure...was not in the room...but she does have the incision on her cheek. Her mate has since helped her get beautiful again since getting home and I am carefully watching that he does not overgroom her area or cause irritation.

Ashley had some trouble with her boy...give us some help here:
http://www.glidercentral.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=444990#Post444990

LOADS of hugs


I'm happy her teeth are okay. Once they start losing them, it doesn't seem to stop.

Riker also had nothing to drain in his face-his was sinus related, and ultimately went into his head (near the brain), because we didn't know to continue antibiotics long enough at first-it took OVER A YEAR to clear it. Finally, a med combo for 3 MONTHS knocked it out. Now, I'm not saying to put your girl on meds that long. It's entirely probable we created a resistant bug from previous attempts with him.

What I CAN say is 2-3 weeks is NOT long enough for a diffused infection, and if you couldn't culture-USE A COMBO to cover EVERYTHING that MIGHT be in there, with an inital run of 4 weeks, twice daily.

Here's what we used on Riker to cover the broadest possible spectrum:

Clindamycin
Flagyl
Baytril

Gwen, I am also glad to hear that her teeth aren't involved in the infection. That's really great news! I wish there had been some fluid to drain from the swelling, but since there wasn't then I would go along with Jen/Xfilefan's recommendation of the med-combo to cover a broader spectrum of possibilities. I hope Ivy gets better really soon

Yes...I will have to call my vet and talk him into it... he is pretty easy going.

Oh, poor Ivy! I hope you get it cleared up soon!