GliderCENTRAL

Prayer for my sick baby

Posted By: Anonymous

Prayer for my sick baby - 08/16/04 07:12 PM

Hi everyone this is my first time posting here... but a long time reader..(almost a year)
Well I was feedin my baby girl Reesie two nights ago and noticed she was wasnt really using her back legs all that much... Kinda like a waddle like a penguin... So I started to get nervous and last night my g/f and i took her into the tent to check her out and there's defintaly something wrong... shes lost the mobility in her legs and had urin all over her bottom side... and i feel so unbelievably [censored] about it ...cause i just moved and got a new job and havent put NEARLY the time i used to into my 2 babies (squeaky the male and Reesie the girl) anyway i was reading on this site today to see what i should do and called my girlfriend(cause im at work) and told her to get her to our local Vet today ASAP... anyway shes in the vet with her right now and to make this long story short.. i figir this is the place to ask .. if i could please ask for you all to say a little prayer for my baby girl and hope she's gonna be okay. Thanks.

Frank
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/16/04 07:17 PM

Hi Frank and Welcome!!

I'm so glad you decided to join in!! We all care very much for you and your gliders. You did the right thing, taking her to the vet. Also, there are a lot of people on here that are very knowledgeable so be sure and post the outcome of the vet's visit!!!

Prayers and hugs coming your way!!!!!!
<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="" />
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/16/04 07:59 PM

Frank, I am so sorry to hear about your baby <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worried2.gif" alt="" />
My thoughts are with you and Reesie! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/16/04 09:32 PM

thanks for the support guys it really means a lot to us.

well the prognosis is in... my g/f just called me a little bit ago with what the Vet said. She said she was still very active and she has seen a lot worse off... She said her problem was probably diet... so she told us to switch diets and go with the ledbeater/better however its spelled mix (we were feeding them a mix of ferret/hedgehog, which until this point had been working fine) also she gave us an antibiotic drops which we're to give her, with that give her healthy doses of fruit and mealies coated with repcal (note: we have always been sprinkling their food with it).. Also Squeaky (the male) has always been a bit of a bully toward her when it comes to food and when they cuddle together he kinda smushes her and lately hes been stealing food from her mouth or if she was holding it... so she reccomended that we separate them for the next couple weeks until she can recover. Thats all i can remember off the top of my head...
The thing i wonder about is she said she didnt want to do blood work because she wouldnt be able to get a large enough sample to test all the things she wanted and also that she'd have to put her out and she didnt want to do that just yet. Said if she doesnt get better in the next couple days/weeks then to bring her back... Any comments about the blood work?

I pray that she gets better ... Cause as bad of a daddy as I have been i still love my little baby girl and want a second chance to give GREAT suggie life....

Any other reccomendations?

With tons of hope!!!
Frank and Jamie
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/16/04 09:50 PM

You are NOT a bad daddy! Don't get down on yourself...a bad daddy would not have had her into the vet so quick or goten her on a better diet!!! There have been many many posts regarding bloodwork on these little guys and I'm sure someone will come along and explain exactly why but I think it has to do with the fact that Gliders dont have a ton of it to begin with cuz they are so small and the fact that she is ill right now she needs all the blood shes got to help her recover..Here's me hopin she gets well superfast!!!!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/16/04 09:59 PM

I'm sorry your baby got sick but that doesn't make you a bad daddy. Now you know and you can fix it. Prayers coming her way for speedy recovery and prayers of patience for you cause I think you'll probably want her to get better right away and it make take sometime. Maybe, Maybe not. But prayers and good wishes coming your way anyway.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/17/04 02:04 AM

Frank, Your vet is probably right about the bloodwork. Your baby probably does need all the blood she has to get better. I was frustrated when one of ours was sick because no one would draw blood. Here's how my vet explained it: Each lab requires a certain amount of whole blood or plasma to run their tests. Depending on the lab your vet uses, they may not be able to draw enough blood for the lab to do the tests. Approximately 7% of your glider's weight is the volume of blood. It is safe to draw 7% of that total blood volume. My glider didn't weigh enough to draw the amount of blood that was needed for the lab to run the tests. The other issue is that yes, they do need to anesthesize to draw blood -- depending on how sick Reesie is, that could just be too risky.

As far as the diet goes, I would look at the diet links on the "Diet and Nutrition" board. The most common "leadbeaters" mixture used by folks on the board is BML, Bourbon's Modified Leadbeaters. The leadbeaters that is often recommended by vets is part of a total diet plan that is used by zoos. The BML plan is created not as a "zoo" diet, but is a diet the average person can easily do.

Best of luck with Reesie. Keep us posted on how she is. And feel free to ask questions, I constantly learn something new each day.

Lynn
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/17/04 02:11 AM

wow I hope your baby is okay. Mine just went to the vet this weekend for the same problem but can't use his back legs at all. What type of antibiotic did they put yours on? Mine was just given calcium drops.

Michelle
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/17/04 05:14 PM

I hope she gets better <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Judie

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/17/04 06:03 PM

With a little one this sick...bacterial illnesses can depleat life needed calcium in a gliders body...thus HLP symptoms.

For an inexperienced vet....often he will treat for HLP only and miss the primary(usually bacterial) cause of illness.

Lack of calcium will cause sever complications with the major organs. So....my suggestion is if your glider is on an antibiotic and has HLP symptoms.....then you need to call your vet and discuss admin oral liquid calcium supplement called Calcionate Syrup often refered to as Calcium Glubionate.

Sending prayers for a speedy recovery for your little one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" /> And by the way....Welcome to Glider Central!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/17/04 07:24 PM

Thank you all very much for your concern and advice. I checked in on her this morning to give her medicine and what not. Shes pretty sad about being seperated from squeaky.... but she has to because squeaky does bully her a bit... I'm not sure the name of the antibiotic i'll post it when i get home and can look at it. But yeah the vet has us giving her the antibiotic once a day and the calcium 3 times a day. She's so precious this morning i gave her the calcium (which is the calcium gluconate *sp)which she just LOVES... she basically attacks the cyringe <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> trying to chew on it. Then i tried to give her the biotic and she wanted nothing to do with it... I tried lacing it with just a HINT of honey and still seh said no.... I knew I need to pull out all the stops cause she needs her medicines... pulled out a mealie which she CANT refuse dabbed the biotic on it and she gobbled it right up.

My next worry is that im not sure if she's eating enough of the food we gave her... She hardly touched the ledbeaters mix ate maybe a 1/4 of what shes supposed to... and instead of the fresh fruits we did an assortment of the fruits but only in the form of baby foods.. This sound okay to yall???

Again thank you all I'll keep everyone posted,
Frank & Jamie
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/17/04 07:45 PM

I hope your baby does well. Mine wouldn't eat all of their BML when I first started giving it to them, but they love it now. It took a little while. Good luck! It sounds like you are doing all you can. Keep everyone posted. All parents make mistakes....that's how we learn too. You're learning. Keep it up!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/17/04 08:10 PM

My prayers go out ot you and you babie. I had the same problem... try putting their favorite yogart, apple sauce, and or necter on top of the BML. I drizzle mine with Kerns Peach Necter and Motts Strawberry and Banana Applesauce. I really do hope your baby gets better and if you need any help just ask away <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. Good Luck

Cory
Posted By: Srlb

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/17/04 10:09 PM

Hope your baby gets well soon. The eating issue, please check the moon phase as well as keeping an eye on her health. We are going through the new moon right now and I know mine loose their appetite almost completely during a full and new moon. Just a thought.
Keep us posted on this little one.
Posted By: the gliders angel

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/18/04 03:36 AM

i hope the vet did a fecal float to ck for parasites. i would try on clean washed hands feeding her the bml on your finger while shes in her pouch when mine didnt eat it i did that and thats the only way they eat it.. give her fresh melons mized frozen veggies along with the bml diet. not too many mealies but for now i would give her more bml than anything. dont let her jump if she has hlp she must be kept in a small cage where she cant jump
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/18/04 03:58 AM

omg! I'm somewhat going thru the same thing as you, but my joeys condition isn't as worse as yours but both surly linked of poor diet! (me feeding Briskys) I just started using BML & hope this makes my Tobey and your Reesie healthy again!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/18/04 07:06 PM

hmmmmmmmm I thought i had posted a message earlier this morning.. I guess it didnt take....
Again thank you very much for all your support, it means a lot to us... Last night was bittersweet... In MY opinion i think she was moving her legs a bit better... but her butt was still saggin a bit... However she was still just as weak as the night before... and I would guess cause shes not eating... She hardly touched her ledbeaters, and only licked a bit of the baby food fruits that we had for her... And this morning she even resisted the calcium and antibiotic... my g/f said she even turned down a mealie !!! which never happens... however I did give her a slice of an apple last ngiht and put it in her pouch and thats about all she ate..
... Im wondering maybe we give her a some fod from her older diet which we'd been using for two years with no problems... to atleast get some more in her stomach.. The old diet was a mix of Ferret food and hedgehog food with the repcal pink label and the blue label(blue label is like a mulitvitamin)

Id be really confident that she'll get better if she would only eat... cause she's got a lot of energy still... but the longer she doesnt eat the worse she'll get....

Worried
Frank and Jamie
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/18/04 08:24 PM

You're right that she needs to eat. I'd offer her any of her favorites. You might try Darcy's Diet (also called the Ensure Diet). It uses Ensure as a staple (you would add additional Calcium to the Ensure). The berry flavor is a favorite. Chocolate is a no-no. (I've also hidden the meds in Ensure before). Most gliders adore Ensure.

Since she isn't eating, she may not be drinking also. Make sure you keep close watch on her hydration. If you have any Gliderade, you could also offer that.

Best of luck, Lynn
Posted By: Critter Creations

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/18/04 09:04 PM

Reesie is in my thoughts and prayers. At this point I would let her eat what ever she is willing to eat. You could even try mixing her old diet and the new diet together to see if she will eat it that way. Just an idea to maybe get her to eat it. I would also stick with frozen fruits and veggies instead of baby food fruits and veggies. She may really like it. Hope this helps a little.
Posted By: hipbchik

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/18/04 09:56 PM

Wow Frank...my prayers are really with you & Reesie as well as Squeaky Jamie...I'm sure this is very hard on you all.
I suggest a call to your vet, letting her know what's going on & that Reesie is getting worse~it seems that while Gliders tend to be slow to show symptoms, they decline rather rapidly & I'd be concerned that time is of the essence.
Please keep us posted...
Posted By: Judie

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/19/04 01:51 PM

If not eating or drinking this little one will need sub-q fulids to help her over the hump.

Also, what was the antibiotic as well as type of bacteria that has caused this little glider to be so ill?

You need to call the vet for a follow up....especially for the possible dehydration.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/19/04 04:47 PM

Well the latest update... Last night i tried giving her the calcium and she just was not having it it.... So I put some fresh fruits out (carrots,banana,grapes) and left her alone for a bit to see if maybe she'd eat. And the good news is she was SUPER hungry.... She ate fruits for prolly 30 minutes or so.. But the bad news is she just does not want to take the calcium, and she wont touch(let alone go near) the ledbeaters mix... So I become tricky daddy and cover mealies with the calcium and she eats them thus taking in a good portion of the calcium but not the full dose. the worst thing is yesterday she LOVED the stuff. I woke up an hour early this morning for her meds... sooooo i dont know we'll see how she progresses.... I just got back from lunch so Im gonna give the vet a call and see what she says. I keep forgetting to check the name of the antibiotic and we dont know the bacteria cause she didnt do a poop test. Should i have her do one, i'll bring it up when i call her?

-Frank
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/19/04 04:51 PM

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/littleglider.gif" alt="" /> [:"magenta"] in my opinion, a fecal float/smear cannot hurt. just my thoughts. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/littleglider.gif" alt="" />[/]
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/19/04 04:53 PM

Oh and a side note
Reese's status is about staying the same...
Good: Shes moving her legs better <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

BAD : She has no energy at all she just curls up:( it would be unbelievably cute seeing her curled up in my hand except for the fact that she's like that cause she's sick...

FC
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/20/04 01:21 PM

well... she's digressing ... shes eating less and taking less medicine... We're bringing her into the vet to stay overnight... they're going to give her injections of calcium and anitbiotics... they say if she's going to recover she will within 1-3 days...

frank
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/20/04 02:46 PM

I'll pray that your baby gets better soon!!! Please keep us updated!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/22/04 12:08 AM

yes get it done! It's only $15 and it could save your gliders life, don't you think its worth it? Better safe then sorry.
Posted By: Critter Creations

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/22/04 01:30 AM

I will keep your baby in my thoughts and prayers. So sorry you are going through this. Please continue to keep us updated.
Posted By: Judie

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/22/04 02:47 AM

It is so hard watching a little one who is going down hill so to speak.

Sending prayers that she will get well soon. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />'s to you as well.
Posted By: Carrie T

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/22/04 03:26 AM

Hugs and prayers sent your way. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/23/04 02:10 PM

Im sorry for not keeping you guys posted over the weekend, but well last week was a week from H. E. double hockey sticks!!! I dont want to get into all the details of everything bad that happended to us(pet health, work, home buying and, a death in the family) but it was most likely one of the most trying weeks of my life... With all that aside
We took Reese to the Vet friday ... and she stayed the day and night their. The vet somehow was able to give her the calcium orally and she started eating more as well. We came back on saturday morning and picked her up.. and for the first time she started looking better then the day before. So armed with signs of improvement and a goodnights sleep (Which as bad as it may seem it helped tremendously to give jamie and i a break from the responsibility of caring for her.... atleast for one night. A week of 3-4 hours of sleep can do a number on you), we brought her home and she began to cooperate a lot more. So again sunday morning i gave her calcium injections and injections of the ledbeaters mix... I dont know maybe i need to have my gliders hang out with some of yall's gliders cause my gliders will not TOUCH the ledbeaters mix.. unless i got the wrapped up and forcign them to eat it. I dunno maybe we'll try introducing it to them in a little less stressful circumstances. And again this morning I woke up and gave Reese some repcal calcium covered wormies and she gobbled them up... And she actually climbed out of her little hiding igloo and jumped on the cage waiting for me to feed her... In the past she just sat curled up waiting for me to bring it to her. Also her coat no longer looks all ragged... Her tail still looks like its been through a car wash but she definately improving. Im still giving her the anitbiotic and im cutting back on the calcium shots to only once or twice a day... cause its really stressful for her to take them (since she hads more energy and is fighting more) so instead im dusting all(well most)her food with the repcal...

I'll let you all know when we get her back 100% to the crabby,stubburn, opionated, cutest little fuzz-butt that ive grown to love, little self again. But thank you all so much for your prayers, help and words of comfort. They really meant a lot us and you all helped more than you'll prolly know. This forum and you all played a very important part of helping reese back on her feet.

With relief and thanks,
Frank <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dance.gif" alt="" />, Jamie <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />, Squeaky <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/littleglider.gif" alt="" />, and the lady of the hour <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif" alt="" /> Reese <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/littleglider.gif" alt="" />

PS. Anyone in the south florida area, if you need a vet I used the vet from the vet list on this site. We went to the Lund Hospital located in Boca Raton, Fl. Kristy was a little difficult to get in touch with at first. But we later found out she was busy giving a blood transplant to a 150 lb labrador and couldnt return our call. But she was able to take good care of our baby and returned her to a healthier and safer baby girl...

Again thank you all so much!!!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/23/04 02:12 PM

oh nother note.... I have some pics somewhere of the two fuzz-butts... I'll get them put up here soon.
Posted By: Judie

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/25/04 04:30 PM

Hmmmmm. I would not cut back the calcium shots till you get an all clear from your vet. If she is not well enough...the HLP symptoms will come back and you will be at square one again with her. You will have plenty of time to bond with her once she has fully recovered from being ill.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/27/04 02:05 PM

Hi Frank,

You guys are in my thoughts! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" /> I have 2 gliders and they are both on Darcy's diet. They LOVE it. I really suggest you try it tonight and just see. They probably will love the ensure because it is so tasty! You can get a case of Ensure (vanilla or berry) and in the slim chance that they don't like it, you can always drink it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Maybe you can buy it by the can, I'm not sure.

You mix 1 can of ensure with 1 powdered 250 mg pill of calcium citrate. Blend this really well and freeze it in 1 tablespoon serving sizes in a tray.

Feed each glider 1 thawed cube of this, 1 tablespoon or so of fresh/frozen fruits (mine don't like frozen), 1 tablespoon of fresh/frozen veggies, and 1 tablespoon of protein. I alternate boiled chicken (just boil a couple breasts, chop them up and freeze them) boiled egg and peach or blueberry stirred yogurt. Make sure it is the fruity and not the sugar/far free kind. Keep giving the insect treats with the meds on them. I hope they love it! You are doing a great job with them! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/27/04 05:27 PM

Thanks i may give it a whirl.

-calcium citratre pill?? I have the repcal calcium same or similar enough?

Note reese is doing much better this week. Im still giving her the antibiotic once a day and ive cut the calcium back to once a day... She has a lot of her strength back and is more willing to show her cranky side <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tantrum.gif" alt="" /> when not wanting to take the calcium.

Its tough keepin the two apart... it was really cute a couple nights ago when i laid down to go to bed they were talking (the cages are right next to each other) to each other for about 15-20 minutes. Then i tried joining in and they stopped . I guess im the parent trying to be "hip" with the kids. hehe

Frank

Frank
Posted By: Judie

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/27/04 05:56 PM

There is a Calcium Supplement Syrup which is oral and has a very sweet taste and gliders love the taste. Might want to check with your vet and see if he carries it.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/27/04 07:08 PM

no thats the calcium we have... its flavored.... she's just being a pain in the butt <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/27/04 10:53 PM

Hi Frank,
Rep Cal and Jurassical have the same amount of calcium from what I found. I found this ratio for JurassiCal:

1 can High calcium vanilla Ensure
1/4 tsp JurassiCal Supplement (tamped tight)

Blend it well, and good luck! Let me know how they like it! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: the gliders angel

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/28/04 03:10 AM

i advise u to sick with the same jurasical that is used with the darcy diet. but if u want the besst for your gliders the BML diet has been around alot longer and is the best proven diet as far as im concerned. and ive been using it many yrs.
Posted By: Srlb

Re: Prayer for my sick baby - 08/28/04 11:32 PM

I also am feeding the Darcy Diet right now, well with two of mine, the other one does eat the BML. With the Darcy diet you are able to use the Calcium Citrate pills that Krystal spoke of. It is the same thing I put in mine, and I spoke with Saharanfox (owner of Lord Darcy where this diet originated from) about this and that is what she told me to do as well. So if you do not have the juriscal you can find the calcium citrate pills at your local store in the vitamin isle. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />

good Luck with your baby <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
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