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Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejected

Posted By: Crescent

Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejected - 02/26/07 02:33 AM

This will be long, but I think you will be amazed...
First, I think that the only reason Sky has made it is because so many people prayed for him. He is truly a miracle baby. I want to especially thank Sugarglidersuz who gave me so much good advice! Thank you!!!

Monday, 1/16 It all started 6 weeks ago tomorrow. Eve had two joeys in the pouch and decided that they needed to come out. I heard lots of noise through the night and in the morning there were two joeys. She never let them back in the pouch. Star was 8 grams, Sky was 10 grams.

Saturday, 1/20 Both joeys were at 10 grams...
LESSON - I should have known something was wrong. They both should have gained over the 4 days. I should have started supplementing & maybe the rest of how things unfolded would have been different. Next time, if there is a next time with joeys, I will weigh and watch more carefully!

Sunday, 1/21 Both joeys are at 8 grams... They are declining! I talked to Suz and we decided that, since Eve was still grooming them and they appeared to be nursing, she probably didn't have enough milk and to supplement. I supplemented with baby BML.

Tuesday, 1/23 Both joeys are at 10 grams. I am hopeful.

Wednesday, 1/24 Eve is not nursing them! They both look like dried prunes. I am panicky and decide to switch them to puppy milk. They are ice cold. I get home from work around 6 and I feed pupply milk and put on a heating pad. Star passes away with a full tummy. I think, in addition to being too dehydrated, she is too hot. I feel so bad. Somehow Sky survives.
Lesson! I should have gone straight to the vet for subques! I don't know why I didn't... NEVER switch one food for another with a joey - they will likely die! If as switch has to be made, it should be done over at least 72 hours.
At around 10 p.m., I try to bring Sky and Eve back together. Eve bites Sky's tail. I try again, she bites his arm. He is totally rejected. I set the heating pad under a small open type cage & begin feeding every 2 hours.

Thursday, 1/25
Continue with feedings every 2 hours.

Friday, 1/26
Continue with feeding every 2 hours. I come out for a middle of the night feeding and find he has climbed around to find food, got in a cold place in the cage and is like an ice cube. I am sure he will die...

Saturday, 1/27
Sky is only at 10 grams... maybe 12. He is not doing well from the night before. Very lethergic and dehydrated. He has diarrhea. On a feeding of water he chokes and passes out. I am sure he has died. He comes back around. We take him to the vet. I am sure it is too late... The vet subQ's him and gave something for the diarrhea. Plus, he has gas in his stomach.
I rig up a incubator from Suz's instructions.

Sunday, 1/28
Sky is not doing well in the morning, but feeling a bit better in the afternoon. I talk to several people on the phone and decide to switch back to baby BML.
Lesson! The gas problems that occur next are a direct result of switching diets! Poor baby!

Monday, 1/29
Sky is doing well in the late morning, but in the afternoon begins to develop severe gas problems.

Tuesday, 1/30
I notice that every night Sky seems to lose ground. I decide to have him sleep throught the night on me and abandon the incubator. He is often like a little ice cube. I wear 3 shirts over top to try to keep him warm. I heat up cloths and wrap him when I feed him so he can keep the little heat he has.
More gas... I take him to the second visit to our local vet, but don't really get any help.

Wednesday, 1/31
Late afternoon - the gas becomes critical. Sky's stomach looks like a balloon. Cris and I decide to make an emergency call to the exotic vet clinic/Cornell University.
They check with a clinician and call back with a suggestion: Try a drop of "Little Tummies" - semathicone for infants. Sky is so bad that I mix a bit with every feeding. It works! The gas goes down. But, he still has diarrhea.
Sky is 2 weeks, 2 days and still at 10 -12 grams. I feel so sorry for the tiny thing... he has hardly had even one good day since rejected...

Thursday, 2/1
Sky is doing so poorly we decide to take him to the Cornell University Exotic Vet clinic as an emergency patient. We arrive at 4 & it is time for feeding. I ask the technician if I should feed & she asks me to hold off. Over the next couple hours, Sky starts feeling better with no food! The vet does a complete workup. He recommends going back to puppy milk. He sees undigested food in the fecal analysis. He suggests - Pedilyte Friday, 25% milk-Sat., 50% milk for Sunday. 75% milk for Monday, 100% for Tuesday.

Friday, 2/2
Amazingly, even though Sky is on Pedilyte, he is feeling better.

Saturday, 2/3
25% Milk

Sunday, 2/4
50% Milk

Monday, 2/5
At last, Sky is at 14 grams. 3 weeks old. 75% milk.

Tuesday, 2/6
Diarrhea returns. :-( back 50/50. Sky is weak & bouncing between 12 and 14 grams.

Wednesday, 2/7
Sky very weak. We call Cornell - I think it might be best to hospitalize him. He is clearly not making it and I don't think we can do any more for him. The doctor says that he thinks the problem is that Sky is not getting enough calories. He says to add .05 cc canola oil for 1 cc feeding.

Thursday, 2/8
The oil is helping! Sky seems better.

Friday, 2/9
Finally, the scale tips between 14 and 16 grams.

Saturday, 2/10
Sky is sluggish again. I decide to add a bit of baby BML. But, taking the lesson from earlier, I add just a bit.

Sunday, 2/11
Increase BML to 25% (milk is at 25%) Sky seems perky!

Monday, 2/12 - Saturday 2/17
Steady weight gain! Sky is at 22 grams. But! He looses all of his hair!!! He just has a little tuft between his shoulder blades and on the the top of his head! Over a day or so, I stop the oil. I suspect it has caused the hair loss, but this is unconfirmed.
About mid-week, Wednesday... Sky seems lethargic again. I am thinking he really needs another glider. I have shown him to mom, Eve and dad, Adam - both are agressive. I have a thought. Maybe his sister, 4 month old Song would not be agressive. I introduce them in the morning. Song licks him. He is in second heaven. I take them to work in a pouch. He is thriving with this new companionship!

Sunday, 2/18
24 grams! Wheee!
Then, we are on the way to the mall... I notice that Sky's cloaca area is swelling. I am panicked - I am afraid he can't urinate and it is all pooling in the area! We drive straight to Cornell University. The vet does an ultrasound and determines that it is a water blister, not the bladder. Recommends treating with sugar - yes, smearing on table sugar and prep H. She is puzzled with what caused... I realized the next day that Sky is constipated... that was probably the cause. Perhaps caused from stopping the oil...
We are very concerned that he has no hair. He looks all pink and naked! The vet suggests just waiting for a while to see.

Monday, 2/19
Sky's body seems darker.

Tuesday, 2/20
Sky is developing a dark line down the center of his back. I am hopeful it is the beginning of hair!

Wednesday, 2/21
A milestone! 26 grams! Plus, he has been sleeping on me for weeks, in the day I am taking him with Song, but at night he is on me. In the morning I wake up to find he is on top of the bed - he is growing & exploring. I need to make other sleeping arrangements & set up a second cage for he and Song. I put a heating pad near the pouch so he can sleep and not get too cold. Plus, I am hoping that as he ventures our at night that Song will help him to learn how to eat adult food.

Friday, 2/23
Unexpectedly, we had to go out of town Wednesday night through Friday.
I weigh Sky when we return Friday night.
Sky is at 32 grams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, his body looks grey.

Today, Sunday, 2/25
Sky is at 34 grams. He is having some loose stools and has had to have some sub Qs Friday and Saturday night... But, he is doing so well!!! And, TODAY, I can see that the grey is actually fuzz. He looks like he is wearing tighly fitting fuzzy pj's. :-)

So many people have asked about Sky and told me that they were praying for him. Cris and I have been praying for him, too. I have been hand feeding him for over a month. Up until a week or so ago, almost every day... I thought it would be his last day.

I think God has helped Sky to survive. He is so adorable. He lets me hold him and pet his little head. He looks me right in the eye. I'm his mommy now. He is the best little gremlin. I just love him. :-)

Thank you for reading his story. :-)







Posted By: Srlb

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejected - 02/26/07 02:48 AM

What an amazing story! I can only imagine how scary you must have been and probably still are. Kudos to you for doing all you can and Thank you Suz for being there to give the help and advice that was needed. clap

I know when I seen Laci's baby in Austin and she only weighed in at 18g at 9 weeks it totally amazed me. She was SOOOOO tiny. But she is doing good now to the last I heard.

I do have one question though, with a story like this how can you post it without posting a picture of this miracle baby?? dunno

PICS WE WANT PICS!! grin
Posted By: ValkyrieMome

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejected - 02/26/07 02:58 AM

Srib - you and I think alike!

Horray! For this adorable survivor! Horray for the dedication of his mommy who helped him make it thru, and for Suz, and others who helped and prayed!

NOW -- where are the pics!!??
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejected - 02/26/07 03:01 AM

Wow you have had a very busy adn stressful month. I'm sure everyone he agrees with me when I say Suz is a savior. Shes always helping people and always seems to have a great answer.

Congrats for you and Sky hope all is well smile
Posted By: BeckiT

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejected - 02/26/07 04:25 AM

Wow, what an amazing experience you've had with him so far! Glad Sky is such a wonderful little guy that has a great mom that is doing everything she can to help him grow up strong and healthy smile
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejected - 02/26/07 06:59 AM

i'm happy this little guy made it. congrats and i hope he continues to grow, and of course we would like to see pics.
Posted By: snowmanda

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejected - 02/26/07 11:08 AM

Kudos to you! You have done a great job. Your hard work and diligence has paid off with your special rejected joey. This is an awesome story. Now, where are the pics...?
Posted By: sugarglidersuz

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 02/26/07 12:44 PM

Crescent,
You know that we ALL want pictures!!! grin I'm so glad you've finally posted Sky's miracle story for all here to read & be encouraged by... I know it was hard for you to relive all those terrible moments when you thought he wasn't going to make it through... It's because of your dedication to him that he's survived thus far - I was just there to give you encouragement along the way... You are truly the miracle-worker here and God's handmaiden heart I'm with you - I think he has survived so far because of God's grace and love gangel

P.S. I'm looking forward to glider-sitting for him and all your other gliders when you go on your trip next week mlove
Posted By: Xglider

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 02/26/07 03:36 PM

Comgrats!!!.
Posted By: Crescent

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 03:01 AM

Thanks for all of the kind comments! Here are Sky’s photos and some other information…

I forgot to mention that during his first few weeks, Sky had sub-q’s many, many times. The vet from Cornell prescribed a special formula that he could have daily without ill effects. I think without this, he would not have survived. Also, on 2/6, we were sure he was not going to make it. He had diarrhea again and was very weak. This is when the Cornell vet perscribed oil. He also had us give Pepto-Bismal for the diarrhea. It helped! I used the Pepto-Bismal about 3 times, total.

For most days until about 2/12, I thought that it was likely to be Sky’s last. In the early days, after I fed him, I laid him on my chest to warm him up – he was like an ice cube! I would rub him to warm him up and simulate his mother grooming him. I can’t believe he survived those days!

Here are the photos… Most of them are shot by an angel... an angel surely watched over Sky!

A couple from 2/10. He was looking very rough… only between 12 & 14 grams. His little body had gotten longer, but he looked so emaciated. He was very weak and often couldn’t hold on to things. Even though he was having sub-qs 3 times per day, he was still very dehydrated because of not handling his food well at all.

A couple from 2/21. Sky had gained a lot of weight. He was at 26 grams! But, he had lost all of his hair. His little body was pink like a newborn baby. He could have won the “Ugliest Gremlin” contest. But we loved him!

A couple from today, 3/3/07. Sky is at 42 grams. He seems healthy and he is happy!

For those who have joeys in distress... don't give up. Even if it looks bleak, the little ones can rally! I could have given up, but Cris kept pushing - go to the vet, get subs, do something.

And little Sky is getting bigger every day!

OOPS - I think my photos are too big. I am going to delete, resize them and repost them. Sorry.


Attached picture 6466-Sky_and_Star_1_18_07.jpg
Posted By: tbull

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 03:09 AM

I can't get the photos to open, it says I do not have access.
Posted By: BeckiT

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 03:09 AM

LOL... I clicked on a link and you must've been editing @ the same time because it told me I don't have access to download the attachment
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 03:27 AM

Wow, that was just amazing effort on your part and I am so glad Sky is doing so well. It just shows how much diligence and determination pays off! clap

And to have such a wonderful Glider Community to turn to when help is needed!

Posted By: Crescent

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 03:46 AM

Sky and Star, just OOP.
And,Sky 2/10/07. He is between 12 and 14 grams. His birth weight was about 10 grams. He hasn't gained hardly any weight in over 3 weeks oop!

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Posted By: Crescent

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 04:06 AM

2/21. Sky is now at 26 grams! But, he loses all of his hair. A truly naked joey!

Attached picture 6473-Sky_2_21_07_B.jpg
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Posted By: Crescent

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 04:08 AM

Today! 3/4/07. Sky is at 42 grams!!!
I can't believe how quickly his hair grew in and how much weight he has gained in the last week to 10 days.

He is - the miracle baby. Our prayers have been answered!

Attached picture 6475-Sky_3_4_07.jpg
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Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 04:47 AM

Originally Posted By: Crescent
Today!
He is - the miracle baby. Our prayers have been answered!


hug2 wow! you have worked so hard, bless you.
Posted By: snowmanda

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 04:55 AM

Great pics! Very encouraging!
Posted By: BeckiT

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 04:56 AM

he is such a little angel!! Continued prayers for him to continue to thrive and enjoy a happy healthy life smile
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 05:07 AM

reed your story and i am amazed. sky realy is a mirical baby! dance
Posted By: sugarglidersuz

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 12:07 PM

Crescent - thanks for sharing the pictures! Truly amazing the progress he has made in the last few weeks... mlove
And tomorrow I get to start loving on him for the next couple of weeks jump dance I'm so excited!!! Thank you for entrusting me with the privilege of glidersitting while you go on your trip hug2
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 12:36 PM

Sky is absolutely beautiful! I can't even imagine how happy you must be now! Thank you for being so devoted to him.
Posted By: Mel2mdl

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 01:40 PM

I read this post yesterday. The first pictures are so sad and pathetic - then, this morning, I looked at the last set of pictures. What a true miracle baby! He looks great - what a tremendous amount of work you've done to help him! Congratulations on such a beautiful boy!
Posted By: BCChins

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 02:51 PM

You did a fantastic job and never gave up on Sky. His first day's were very sad and tough but just look at what your persistance and Sky's will to make it got you. Sky looks like a little trooper and is cuter by the day.
Congratulations you both deserve it.
Posted By: dranger1108

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 02:59 PM

Originally Posted By: Crescent
Today! 3/4/07. Sky is at 42 grams!!!
I can't believe how quickly his hair grew in and how much weight he has gained in the last week to 10 days.

He is - the miracle baby. Our prayers have been answered!


awww... congradulations... he's so cute! I'm so glad that he pulled through for you! heart mlove heart
Posted By: JayAndDiana

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 03:00 PM

Such a great story about Sky's fight and your love. Truly amazing!! Great job Crescent and happiness always Sky!!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 03:39 PM

Truly Amazing! Congratulations to both of you for making it through those very tough first weeks!! Sky definetly has a gaurdian angel!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 04:34 PM

Aww congradulations.
That is a truly encouraging story.
He really in a little miracle boy!
=)
Posted By: remo

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/05/07 04:37 PM

Wow!! Sky has come such a long way. He sure had come a long way. You did an excellent job of nursing him back to good health.

Thanks for sharing your story and pictures.
Posted By: Crescent

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/07/07 01:05 AM

Again, thanks everyone. I am posting form my phone - there might be more typos than normal! ;-) one thing I forgot to mention... when the vet switched Sky's diet to puppy milk, he had us add 6 drops of dextrose.
We have to go out of the country for a couple of weeks, plus. This is so hard -We don't want him to forget us! We've worn small pieces of cloth that Suz will put in with him ecery day. I hope our scent will help him remember!
Posted By: sugarglidersuz

Re: Miracle baby looses hair, dehydrated and rejec - 03/07/07 01:17 AM

I'm sure he'll remember you, Crescent. Don't worry... I'll take great care of him for you hug2
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