Posted By: Gregg
Ear Infection? - 01/04/10 05:23 PM
This is a long post, so here it goes.
I found one of my gliders (who just turned 10 in December) yesterday morning spinning around on the floor. The only thing he could seem to do was go clockwise and apparently couldn't climb back up to go back to sleep. I had just been to the vet the day before because he's had a lot of trouble eating due to teeth issues. He had surgery to remove some teeth (small ones) about 3 weeks ago and seemed to be doing better for a while. I would chop up mealworms in a couple of pieces for him and he'd eat them. But starting about a week ago he wouldn't really touch the mealworms much. So I brought him back to the vet on Saturday and she said it looks like his lower front teeth might be rubbing against the upper teeth and doing some damage. She put him on an antibiotic (Baytril) and anti-inflammatory/pain reliever (Metacam). I only got to give him one dose of the antibiotic before I found him on the floor yesterday morning. I paged her and she told me to cut off the antibiotic just in case it was a reaction. She also had me give him Meclizine (Dramamine Less Drowsy formula) to hopefully make him less dizzy.
Anyway I found him on the floor again once at 2am and once at 7am. Brought him to the vet this morning and she said she thinks it might be an inner ear infection (possibly having begun from a tooth infection) based on the behavior. She said it could be a stroke (which is what I thought it was), but since he seems okay other than that so it was unlikely. I brought him back home and gave him the Metacam and Baytril and force fed him a little from a syrings before I left for work (he seemed to eagerly eat the food). I'm going to put him in an 20 gal aquarium when I get home. She wants me to continue giving him the Meclizine as well as some Vitamin B complex and omega 3 fatty acids.
I was a nervous wreck all last night and this morning figuring I'd have to put him to sleep today. At least I have a glimmer of hope. I'd just like to know if anyone has any words of advice.
Thank you.
Gregg
I found one of my gliders (who just turned 10 in December) yesterday morning spinning around on the floor. The only thing he could seem to do was go clockwise and apparently couldn't climb back up to go back to sleep. I had just been to the vet the day before because he's had a lot of trouble eating due to teeth issues. He had surgery to remove some teeth (small ones) about 3 weeks ago and seemed to be doing better for a while. I would chop up mealworms in a couple of pieces for him and he'd eat them. But starting about a week ago he wouldn't really touch the mealworms much. So I brought him back to the vet on Saturday and she said it looks like his lower front teeth might be rubbing against the upper teeth and doing some damage. She put him on an antibiotic (Baytril) and anti-inflammatory/pain reliever (Metacam). I only got to give him one dose of the antibiotic before I found him on the floor yesterday morning. I paged her and she told me to cut off the antibiotic just in case it was a reaction. She also had me give him Meclizine (Dramamine Less Drowsy formula) to hopefully make him less dizzy.
Anyway I found him on the floor again once at 2am and once at 7am. Brought him to the vet this morning and she said she thinks it might be an inner ear infection (possibly having begun from a tooth infection) based on the behavior. She said it could be a stroke (which is what I thought it was), but since he seems okay other than that so it was unlikely. I brought him back home and gave him the Metacam and Baytril and force fed him a little from a syrings before I left for work (he seemed to eagerly eat the food). I'm going to put him in an 20 gal aquarium when I get home. She wants me to continue giving him the Meclizine as well as some Vitamin B complex and omega 3 fatty acids.
I was a nervous wreck all last night and this morning figuring I'd have to put him to sleep today. At least I have a glimmer of hope. I'd just like to know if anyone has any words of advice.
Thank you.
Gregg