GliderCENTRAL

Dominance Wound

Posted By: Ladymagyver

Dominance Wound - 01/20/19 01:00 PM

So, my guess is it's a domanence wound... :tant2:

It's on the back of Fiona's neck (at shoulder), right where I've seen Dot grab her recently... Her fur is missing and a huge wound...

They have been scuffling for about a week+ off and on. When I check on them, it's always Dot and Fiona. I have caught them balled up. I separated them for 24 hours allowed Stewie to choose which one he wanted to stay with and he chooses Dot . I put them back together and all was fine. Last night I checked on them and Fiona was very timid, but no marks on her. About 3pm today I pulled them out to clip nails and Fiona was the first out of the pouch. I found her wound while clipping her nails. worried

When I first saw the wound, it was scabbed over and looked fine. When I put her in a separate pouch, she scratched it open.

I rushed to Tractor supply company and bought some Vetricyn. I sprayed on the wound and set up the travel dog kennel to keep Fiona separate from Stewie and Dot. I know they would have groomed the wound which will only make it worse.

Fiona is not happy this morning, but so far seems fine. She's running on her travel wheel and watching me. I will keep her with me today with a wedge of apple and continue to administer the vetericyn. She doesn't like to sleep alone.

I'm hoping I can get her to a vet Monday morning or Tuesday for a check up. We are still in SC, so I will be looking for a recommended vet.

From past posts, I understand that Fiona will have to be separated from Dot and Stewie for awhile... The wound has to heal, and the fur has to be completely grown back... I'm hoping for 2 months...

Well, the good part in all of this is I get my bra baby back.

Now I have to watch Stewie and Dot closer to make sure there aren't any more wounds.

Thank you Feather for your help and support last night.

Prayers and advise for a speedy recovery are appreciated. smile
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Dominance Wound - 01/20/19 02:32 PM

I am so very sorry for Little Fiona. I know your heart is hurting for her plus her not being able to be with her family for a time now. Once she starts healing will probably be the hardest because they will all want to be together again. Dot needs to get over herself and stop picking on her 'sister'. Payback can be tough agree

Good thoughts for all
hug2
Posted By: Feather

Re: Dominance Wound - 01/20/19 04:04 PM

If you wear them in a pouch, you could let Stevie sleep with her during the day. You would have to watch them close.
Posted By: Claralice

Re: Dominance Wound - 01/20/19 04:08 PM

Poor Fiona! Glad you found it and are able to get her the help she needs!
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 01/23/19 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Feather
If you wear them in a pouch, you could let Stevie sleep with her during the day. You would have to watch them close.


I wish I could. They really miss each other. But Stewie I think is how her first scab came off. I'd have to leave pouch unzipped. And he can't resist an open pouch when there is a wide open world to explore. When I took Fiona out of this pouch that evening, I found a small patch of her fur with dried skin attached.

I sprayed her wound several times a day with vetricyn and kept her with me during the day so I could monitor her scratching. After about 24 hours, the wound closed again. Yesterday was her appointment with the vet which marked 72 hours from discovery of her wound.

Vet said the dried patch of skin and fur was probably dead skin falling off. Fiona had no swelling or or puss under her scabbed wound. The scabbed wound itself looked rough to me. It looked like the fur had curled under and was inside the wound. I took pics of all the stages of her wound and will try to get them posted. The vetricyn spray we had to drive 20 minutes to get was more than worth it. I strongly recommend adding this to your glider first aid kit.

I did request antibiotics just in case... Now many of you won't remember 3 years ago when we had to administer antibiotics to both her and Dot, but Fiona remembered... And as soon as I got her in that familiar position to take her meds, her little mouth flew open, she closed her big eyes and took it like a big girl!!!! This momma is so proud!!!! And relieved!!!
Posted By: Feather

Re: Dominance Wound - 01/24/19 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by Ladymagyver
but Fiona remembered... And as soon as I got her in that familiar position to take her meds, her little mouth flew open, she closed her big eyes and took it like a big girl!!!!


You have it way to easy. The one that I am medicating right now crabs until he sees the syringe, then he clamps is mouth shut. Open Sesame doesn't work on him.
Posted By: Hutch

Re: Dominance Wound - 01/26/19 04:42 AM

Originally Posted by Ladymagyver
as soon as I got her in that familiar position to take her meds, her little mouth flew open, she closed her big eyes and took it like a big girl!!!! This momma is so proud!!!! And relieved!!!


I am so very jealous right now!
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/02/19 02:06 AM

Update:

Fiona did take a turn for the worse about 3 days ago. I took her off the antibiotics a few days before thinking her scab hadn't changed and was going to heal fine.

But was wrong. Wednesday morning when I took her out to check on her and put her in my shirt for the day, the wound was a huge lump and when I touched it, green goo came out. I did clean her up and tried to get a little more out, sprayed her with vetericyn and called the vet for appointment. They couldn't get her in till the next day. Oh and I put her back on the antibiotics.

Having her in my shirt, she felt feverish. I kept giving her honey water for hydration. Her appetite was down to almost nothing. I fed her what ever she would eat.

The next day at the vet's office, they irrigated the wound, and the scab came off. It made a huge hole. Now she's on two different antibiotics and stuff for pain and fever. Plus use vetricyn and irrigate the area once a day. I take her back in ten days unless she doesn't take well to the antibiotics.

The wound hopefully will heal from the inside out now... Will keep you posted... I'm tired...
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/02/19 02:23 PM

hug2 I am so very sorry to hear this, Dawn, and hopefully Fiona will not have any problems with this round of meds so she can heal completely. I know you had to be so concerned and heartbroken to have this happen.

Prayers are with you both during this time.
Posted By: Feather

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/02/19 04:47 PM

Time to talk Stewie into harassing Dot for making that dominance wound.
Posted By: Hutch

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/03/19 05:24 AM

I was hoping to see good news when I opened this frown Get well soon, Fiona.
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/10/19 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by Hutch
I was hoping to see good news when I opened this frown Get well soon, Fiona.



Well Hutch, GOOD News!!!!!!

Fiona is definitely on the mend! The hole she had was about the size of a half pfenning, or about 15 cm in diameter.

Irrigation daily, a couple of squirts of vetericyn spray 3 times a day, feeding her ANYTHING she would eat with calcium sprinkles when phosphorus levels of her intake were too high, two different antibiotics, Nsaid for pain, lots of cuddles, a few bites, and personality change(think Jeckle and Hyde), another vet visit because she even had quit eating, and became a tiny meany beast, lost 12 grams almost overnight, lots of lost sleep because Stewie figured how to open her cage and tore off her scab(it actually was a good thing, it healed faster after that) , and whew!!!!

We are down to a tiny scab, no swelling, got appetite back, just last night she ate all her Critterlove and some salad, I forgot to add: the vet lowered her dose of both antibiotics, her sweetness came back, and I can sleep now...


Oh and all through this, she still took her meds like a big girl!!!! I'm gonna have hubby shoot a tiny video of this... And get a couple of pics too.

It's been an up and down battle for too long and now the wait for the fur to grow back before she goes back in with her brother and aister.

I will try to keep you more up to date now that we are on the down hill side of recovery...

Oh and we are traveling home... I decided to keep all three in their Glide-arium travel cage with Fiona in a bonding bag with her usual grape, apple slice and 2 Cheerios, Dot and Stewie got the same snacks too... It wasn't an easy feat, but more of that will be posted soon here:

http://www.glidercentral.net/ubbthr...361/on-the-road-finally-2018#Post1417361

Right now, I'm tired, fed, and going to go watch TV (yawn...).... Stay tuned....
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/10/19 02:21 PM

Stewie!!! I hope he is treating his sister better now. Maybe you should change his name to Mr. Houdini shakehead

So glad she is on the mend and doing so well now. Whew, that was a scary situation. Don't want that to happen again.
Posted By: Hutch

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/11/19 06:21 AM

Originally Posted by Ladymagyver
or about 15 cm in diameter.


I'm going to pray you meant 15mm...otherwise her hole was the size of most my gliders!!!! Poor Fiona, either way frown I'm very glad to hear she's on the mend, despite Stewie's best efforts to 'help' Personally, I think she's earned a third cheerio wink

Rest yourself & keep up all the good lovin' you do, I'm sure they'll be back together soon!

P.S. : Still totally jealous that she takes meds so well...
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/11/19 11:03 AM

Karen, thank you, and you're right. I should change his name! But his dogtag on the travel bag would have to be changed too. (Hummm... Maybe my stepson is right and I am a bit obsessed...)

Originally Posted by Hutch
Originally Posted by Ladymagyver
or about 15 cm in diameter.


I'm going to pray you meant 15mm...otherwise her hole was the size of most my gliders!!!! Poor Fiona, either way frown I'm very glad to hear she's on the mend, despite Stewie's best efforts to 'help' Personally, I think she's earned a third cheerio wink

Rest yourself & keep up all the good lovin' you do, I'm sure they'll be back together soon!

P.S. : Still totally jealous that she takes meds so well...


I did mean mm instead of cm! Thank you for the catch!

Fiona is off meds!!! She's back to her old self which is about 20 minutes at a time shenanigans... She wants to go back with her family, or at the least, have her family with her... I just cuddle her for about 20 minutes and off she goes again!!!
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/27/19 12:47 PM

I finally am ready to document this, sorry it's been so long...

DISCLOSURE... There are some grafic details the weak of heart may not want to read.... I would jump down to where you see this ******* to only get the outcome. I'm documenting this part for future reference.

Update:

Last day of our journey home, I packed everyone in the travel cage, Fiona in her zipped bonding pouch tucked inside. Buckled in the backseat of the truck, 15 minutes down the road I hear that familiar crab, hiss, squeaking noise. My heart sank...

I pulled the travel cage up front, and low and behold, the bonding pouch zipper had been pinched and chewed open. Dot was inside it on top of a bloody Fiona.

I still can't get over the sight of it, or my feelings for Dot about this. But when a pair is bonded so well, the love to take care of each other is strong...

We pulled over to the side of the interstate and administered first aid to Fiona. Which consisted of a saline flush, and ibuprofen. I put her back in the front of a zippered hoodie I made for her so I could monitor her. She was upset from the incident , plus the first aid. I also think she might have been in shock.

We we're out in the middle of nowhere, I wasn't going to try to find an emergency vet. I called our vet at home, and set up an appointment for the next day, and had them call the vet in NC to get her records for previous treatment. I didn't put her back on the antibiotics, I wanted the vet to make that call

Next day I took her in, the first thing they wanted to do was stitch her up. At this point, I didn't want to do this. I asked to bring her back in 5 days for a recheck. We went home with a different antibiotic (Clavamox) and a topical creme to put inside the wound.

It was healing,but wasn't closed. I made the decision to have them stitch her up. We have spent 4 weeks trying to get this healed, only to have it get opened again.

The vet did shave her neck, debrided the scar tissue and stitched her up. I just hope her fur will grow back... Well, I'm not sure it would have grown back with the wound the way it was. When we got her back from surgery, her sutures were lumpy and the skin was swollen. Within 24 hours the swelling went down and looked so much better. The stitches will dissolve over time.

Kept her on Metacam(ibuprophen anti-inflammatory) Clavamox(antibiotic) and vet added Torbutrol(for pain). This has affected her appetite. She sleeps a lot, and I've had to wake her up to eat, take honey water and practically hand feed her.

I have also put her back into the pop-up dog kennel for safety reasons because of the affect her pain meds have on her. She's a little woosie. I don't want her to fall in the bigger cage and complicate her recovery. She's only in it while we are asleep which is about 5-6 hours. Hubby and I take shifts.

************************************************************************

I've kept her with me in the front zippered pocket I made to monitor her food intake and scratching.(I have to clip her nails every 3-4 days). She gets to eat whatever she wants, when she wants. She goes back for a follow-up check in 5 days.

She's doing fine. Other than she's spoiled rotten. Now that we are home, I have her in the living room, and Dot and Stewie in our bedroom.

I'm taking all three in this time. It's time for everyone's annual well check. Dot and Stewie will be in their own travel cage and I'll have Fiona in my hoodie pouch.

The vet and I talked about Dot's recent behavior change. I'll post separately on a new thread as I learn more... Stay tuned...
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/27/19 02:49 PM

Dawn, I am so very sorry this has happened to Fiona again. This is not only heartbreaking but frustrating for you since she was healed from the original wound.

Thank you for documenting this. Prayers go to Fiona and you hug2
Posted By: Hutch

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/27/19 11:48 PM

:tant2:
Posted By: Xeno

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/28/19 04:15 AM

I know this was hard but they were lucky to have you around as owner and friend. Kudos to you.
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/28/19 04:49 AM

Thank you Karen, and Xeno.

It's been exhausting. We are working on 6 weeks of this. I'm just glad we aren't working right now. Well, I have many things to do here at home...

I think part of my issues with this ordeal are my feelings towards all the gliders were bonded. I felt they should visit and see each other even if it was through the bars of a cage. Bad idea. It keeps them motivated to seek each other out. What ever it took... I learned that lesson the hard way. :tant2:

Total so far for 7 vet visits, including surgery, and meds cost us about $500, plus travel time (18 hours) and fuel. That's spread over 5 weeks. I'm not that concerned about the money or the time, again, just documenting.

Stewie misses Fiona and is like a bloodhound crawling all over me right where Fiona has been. He even curled up inside the zipper pocket where she sleeps during the day and took a short nap. It is heart breaking... But they all have finally accepted this and Fiona seems to be fine being alone for now. We'll see how it goes...
Posted By: Paani

Re: Dominance Wound - 02/28/19 11:07 AM

Wow, so sorry to hear this. Your travel is exhausting enough as it is without having to deal with this and poor Fiona! I hope you're able to find out what is causing Dot's change of behavior, it must be terrible for Fiona to have a trusted cage mate turn like this.
Posted By: Claralice

Re: Dominance Wound - 03/01/19 04:03 AM

Poor baby! Hope the story has a happy ending for all the gliders. This would be so difficult for me and I applaud your labor and diligence in your care of your baby!
Posted By: TheSGirlCrew

Re: Dominance Wound - 03/02/19 03:27 AM

I'm so sorry!!! My heart goes out to you and I hope all is well soon! Fiona is lucky to have such dedicated parents!
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 03/18/19 01:22 AM

Thank you !

UPDATE:

Fiona is doing great!!!!! They used stitches that dissolve, and a few are sticking straight up, and she is very itchy... Loves her back rubbed.

She tries to scratch her back on the cage she's in by rubbing, but so far she hasn't damaged anything.

She has lost weight, but she's perky and onery. Runs on her wheel, and when we give her out of cage play, she runs down the hallway opposite direction of Dot and Stewie's cage just to explore and get in to trouble.

She chooses to stay in her pouch now instead of being carried all day which I understand. She's been poked, prodded, fed nasty meds, nails clipped twice a week, and now she just feels better and wants deep rest.

Her fuzz is growing back slowly. In patches. She kinda looks like she has mange. But it is growing back... Hopefully in about 4 weeks we can have some supervised introduction play time with her buddies...
Posted By: Feather

Re: Dominance Wound - 03/18/19 03:38 AM

Stewie probably misses her greatly. Poor little guy!
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 03/18/19 03:48 AM

Originally Posted by Feather
Stewie probably misses her greatly. Poor little guy!

Yeah him and Dot don't get along very well... I think Fiona was the glue in the relationships. She just didn't hold together very well...
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Dominance Wound - 03/18/19 02:19 PM

Wonderful to hear her recovery is going so well heart
Posted By: Hutch

Re: Dominance Wound - 03/19/19 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by Ladymagyver
She has lost weight, but she's perky and onery.


So... pretty much back to her normal sense, then, I take it? hehe
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 03/19/19 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by Hutch
Originally Posted by Ladymagyver
She has lost weight, but she's perky and onery.


So... pretty much back to her normal sense, then, I take it? hehe



Oh yes!!! We are watching her fur grow... It's worse than watching paint dry...
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Dominance Wound - 03/19/19 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Ladymagyver

Oh yes!!! We are watching her fur grow... It's worse than watching paint dry...

:rofl2:
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 04/04/19 12:20 PM

Update:

Fiona is doing really well. But... (There's always one of those) She's scratching!!! Her fur has grown over most of her wound which didn't leave a scar ( BTW). I did notice about a week ago her bald parts were getting larger. I started putting vetricyn on it and it doesn't seem to help.

There is a very small scab where her dime sized wound was. It doesn't seem to want to heal the rest of the way up. I'm curious if there could be a suture (stitch) that didn't dissolve, and it's making her itch and she just can't reach it... Her surgery was about 6 weeks ago...

I feel like there's been a revolving door at the vet office and and a hole in my wallet since this all started 11 weeks ago. I feel I need to take her back in if for no other reason to find out why she's scratching... What do you guys think???

Edit: She isn't over grooming anywhere else. Just her back right below her wound.
Posted By: Claralice

Re: Dominance Wound - 04/05/19 12:00 AM

Unfortunately, it sounds like a stitch! frown
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 04/13/19 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Claralice
Unfortunately, it sounds like a stitch! frown


Update:

She's still scratching!!! But she hasn't broken the skin or caused any flaking of her skin. I've kept her nails short. We did try spraying the area with vetricyn, then tried the antibiotic cream the vet gave us too. She didn't like anything on her fur. She would sit in a corner of her cage and try to groom it off(she knows we don't want her scratching, so she turns her head in the corner tail facing towards me, thinking I can't see her. She has also started wrapping her tail around her wound. It looks like a grey cinnamon roll on her back.

So, we took her back to the vet. Doc looked her over, felt her scar(which is tiny) and determined she is just over grooming. The vet decided to put her on Benadryl to see if it will help her "chill out" a little. That was yesterday... It will take a few days to find out if it was helpful. I just want to see fur grow!
Posted By: Feather

Re: Dominance Wound - 04/13/19 02:23 PM

Maybe Benadryl would help dots attitude!
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 04/14/19 03:50 AM

Originally Posted by Feather
Maybe Benadryl would help dots attitude!


Lol!!! It might!!! She's had her hands full with Stewie.
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 07/09/19 07:11 PM

Final chapter and update:

Fiona is healed, and has all her fur back!!!

Since she had stitches, part of her black stripe is missing, and it one end kind of curves.

Fiona and Stewie are together now. He's been with her for a few months now. No issues and they are playing well together. Since Fiona was 100% healed, but still overgrooming, I put them together and Stewie didn't seem to mind he bald spots at all. To him her beauty was on the inside. He didn't care what her fur looked like. And she quit scratching!

I just love happy endings!!!!

Oh, I still have Dot, but she seems content as a single right now... Traveling with two cages is not fun BTW...
Posted By: Xeno

Re: Dominance Wound - 07/11/19 03:38 AM

Hopefully Dot will mellow and you can reintegrate later.
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Dominance Wound - 07/13/19 02:53 AM

Thank you!!! I hope so! Aaaamd soon!!!!! Lol!
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Dominance Wound - 07/13/19 03:14 PM

Great update clap So good things are back to normal wink
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