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glider's stomach hard and fat

Posted By: Anonymous

glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:19 AM

my gliders stomach has been hard and fat lately for long periods of time.. it's been really big and hard since i've gotten home at 4, it's now 8 20, not shrinking.. i've made a vet appointment for as soon as possible.. but i'm so worried it seems like today is worse than the past few days.. it's been going on for a couple days, less than a week.. around 3 i'd say.. he's active at night, sleeps with the others, and eats at night too, but lately his stomach was alot better at night than it is tonight.. i'm extremely worried tonight.. someone said this could be herniation?

is there anything i can do tonight while waiting for my vet appointment tomorrow? it's not until 5 30 either..
Posted By: TTrusty

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:21 AM

Is he going to the bathroom ok.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:25 AM

i don't know at all.. i wish i could say yes or no, but i completely don't know..
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:25 AM

could his stomach be bloated?
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:28 AM

Possibly, his stomach is hard. It's round and big.. Sometimes the sides will shrink down, (by sometimes I meant the past 2 days) then then under part will start too..
Posted By: TTrusty

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:34 AM

Do you have a tent to let him run in to see if he is going to the bathroom?
Posted By: TTrusty

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:35 AM

What kind of diet is he on. Has he ate anything gassy.
Posted By: sugarlope

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:37 AM

Is there an emergency vet you can take him to tonight? I would be really worried about leaving it until tomorrow evening.

Even if it gets better again at some point tonight, he needs to be seen by a vet. I hope he'll be ok. hug2
Posted By: TTrusty

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:50 AM

I agree if he is that bad he needs to be seen by a vet asap.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:50 AM

There's no way i can take him to the vet tonight..

He eats a mushy and fruit/vegetable diet and live crickets..

Mushy consists of wheat germ, honey, egg, cut up pears, baby food and vitamins.

Fresh fruits/vegetables cut nightly consist of cucumber, sweet potato, multiple pears/apples, mango, papaya, melons (not water), berries, and some other things random here and there. These don't stay consistent every night.. I'll put different stuff on the plate every so often..

And I get live crickets for them. He's the only one out of 7 gliders right now who has this.. Another male had it briefly and it wasn't as bad it seemed. This male doesn't like crickets, so I've ruled that out.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 04:57 AM

While you are waiting to go to the vet...you should confirm whether the little one is voiding and stooling. The vet will need to know this information if possible. Playing in a tent alone was a wonderful suggestion. If you don't have a tent, find somewhere in your home that is suggie safe where you could play and still be able to monitor for stool and urine. Please keep us updated.
Posted By: TTrusty

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 05:00 AM

Was You able to see if he is going to the bathroom?
Posted By: TTrusty

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 05:01 AM

If he is constipated you can give him a little bit of pumkin. I think I was told like 1/8 tsp. Not sure how often though.
Posted By: TTrusty

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 05:05 AM

You should also check out some of the diets on the board. And consider changing to one of them.
Posted By: TTrusty

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 05:08 AM

If I were you I would try to get a sample of his stool and urine for the vet to run a fecal and a UA on. When I had to get urine I put mine glider in a plastic container let him go to the bathroom and sucked it up with a syringe. One ? is he hissing at all like something hurts. Is there any way you could get him in first thing in the morning.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 05:21 AM

Earliest I can go is 5 30 sadly. I did take him out into a secure area, darkened, and he woke up, acted pretty normal, curious, checking stuff out, walking on me ect.. I DID notice it looked like he was trying to go, but couldn't. I think he is constipated, he tried to go and he either farted or made a little noise, it was so slight it was hard to tell the difference. I've been checking on him constantly lately and I realized he hasn't gone once out of all the times I've taken him out of the cage ect, and they usually go right away if I wake them up. Which I've been doing alot checking on him so much lately. I've only noticed him urinate a few times, 2-3 max. But I haven't seen him deficate once lately.

I don't have any pumpkin, unfortunately and wont be able to get any until tomorrow, but I'll be visiting the vet then.
Posted By: BindiAndScrubbie

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 05:29 AM

I do hope he is ok...
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 07:27 AM

One of two common things can be happening. 1-blockage. If it's a blockage, he may not make it and an ER vet is a MUST ASAP. I've had two die from one. 2. bloat. Possibly caused by gassy foods and with the way a glider's anatomy is built-IE everything in the cloaca-they have a very hard time passing gas.

Either way a vet is imperative as soon as possible.

Keep in mind that if it hurts, the glider may start to SM, so keep a close eye on the glider-don't leave it alone if at all possible. If you need help finding a vet, even an ER vet, members here are very helpful at that. It's difficult to give options to try when the cause is in doubt. Please keep us updated.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 07:51 AM

It looks like he's constipated to me. He lifts his tail and sits still and gets that, "look" on his face, but can't go. I haven't seen him go at all lately. I've been feeding him basically the same things as I always have and I've never had this problem before.

This has been a problem for a few days. He's active and acts normal. Vet is tomorrow evening (5:30), earliest I can get him there.
Posted By: SweetGliders

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 08:35 AM

Do you have or can you get to any prunes?

Anita heart
Posted By: sugarglidersuz

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 03:15 PM

Hopefully you are able to find some answers when you take him to the vet's today.

Moving this over to Health & Hygiene now... please post an update when you get back from the vet's.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 03:17 PM

Any updates on this little one - it sounds like a blockage to me, he really needs to see a vet fast...
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 03:19 PM

Please keep us updated and my thoughts and prayers are with you both.
Posted By: jacknsally

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 03:35 PM

I have a little one who is going through the same thing with the same syptoms. Thought it was constipation but it's not. My glider has 2 areas of concern and these were only found by an xray. When you take your glider in, please insist they do an xray if they don't already suggest one. Stool will show up on the xray if that is indeed what is going on.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 06:39 PM

Is your little one a boy or girl? If it is a girl and you have a male/female pair could it possibly be a joey in pouch? Not only looking at the bad, but the good. Please take your little one into the vet. Update asap!!! hug2
Posted By: USMom

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 09:21 PM

Please register and let us know how your baby is doing.

You already did! LOL

Let us know what the vet says, and how your baby is doing.
Posted By: sandbat

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 10:21 PM

Pumpkin was recommended to me by Val, (jacke_chans_mom) and it got Cessna through a very *bad* case of constipation. Mix it with a little yogurt or sweet potatoes if they don't like the taste. Prunes are also good.
Posted By: Dannylynn123

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/03/08 10:36 PM

omg sorry this is wayyyy off topic but i visited your website before i had my suggie! lol i remember reading about pepe and bitta(h?) and im actually gonna name my suggies first baby after bitta(h?) lol
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/04/08 03:01 AM

Just got back from the vet. She said she could feel stool inside of him and he's constipated. She said x-rays aren't needed atm and would only stress him out..

She said if it was blockage (which she's dealt with before) he wouldn't be so active or wide eyed or act the way that he was..

He was stealing food and chasing one of the girls in his cage this morning..

I just got prune juice, canned pumpkin, apples and some raisins.. He took a little bit of prune juice.. I gotta keep him active, running around and jumping to stimulate his bowels..

Thanks for everyone's help. I was so stressed over this and I hope he'll start clearing this up asap.
Posted By: TTrusty

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/04/08 03:18 AM

That is cool you found out what was wrong. Now just work on getting him un stuck. Good luck. Hope he get feeling better.
Posted By: sugarlope

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/04/08 03:25 AM

hug2 Hope he's over it soon. hug2
Posted By: SweetGliders

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/04/08 04:08 AM

Great to hear he went to the vet and what the finding was. Please keep us posted on how he's doing.

Anita heart
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/04/08 08:08 PM

So... did he poop yet??? Keepin your baby in my thoughts!
Posted By: ScootersPet

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/05/08 12:52 AM

Any poop???
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/05/08 01:15 AM

I think your sugar glider is bloating.

Hope your suggie be alright. It'll be in my thoughts!
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/05/08 07:59 AM

Just a note-since some vets don't recognize the differences between a glider and the more common exotics-both of mine were acting normal until about 2 HOURS before death. If you don't see poop, the glider is in trouble.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/06/08 12:33 AM

The vet had me get laxatone and before that (got the laxatone last night) I saw slight smears when I was holding him and letting him run around last night.. I saw the FIRST sign of poops in days today. They were very small, but wet and the smears indicate it's breaking up. Between prune juice, canned pumpkin, normal juice and laxatone, he's had 2 extremely small poops. First size was about 1/2 the size of a pea, the other was slightly smaller. But, it's the first I've seen in days. And the first smears I saw were last night, had a couple more today then the 2 poops. I just put him back after about an hour of keeping him up to get his body moving and his stuff flowing. It's a sign and if he doesn't poop alot more tonight, he's going back to the vet tomorrow morning at 9:30.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/06/08 06:41 AM

How is the lil backed up glider doing today?????
Posted By: SugarBlossoms

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/06/08 06:58 AM

I am very concerned about this going on for so long. Has he pooped much yet? Something is causing the constipation, usually it's with the diet. He could be getting too many of a certain vitamin. Is he on BML or another specific diet? Is the diet being followed? What other "treats" is he getting?
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/06/08 06:47 PM

I keep hoping for an update on this lil one. I have a comment about the wet e"smears" you mentioned Source...

I am a nurse, and when someone who has been constipated for an extended period of time has the "smears", these are usually liquid stools that don't get a chance to have their liquids absorbed in the lower colon as they pretty much SHOOT past the impacted feces. Which means there is probably an impaction, which could lead to intestinal damage, necrosis, infection and even death. I am not trying to scare you, but I sincerely hope this little one has been back to the vet if he isn't pooping normally yet.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/06/08 07:48 PM

I took him to the vet earlier this morning. He's back home. Eating persimmons and some other foods to help him with fiber.

The vet gave him a little bit of an enema and some more stool came out about 20 minutes after, not just wet smears but some harder and some wet. He had a few wet drops yesterday also.

The vet I'm going to has had gliders of her own in the past, and she used to work for the Zoo. She's pretty knowledgeable.
Posted By: Dancing

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/06/08 08:15 PM

I read your above post and my heart skipped a beat I think.

Because of the way a glider's built, their cloaca is a one place does everything exit, giving a glider an enema can be very damaging. This is highly recommended AGAINST doing.

I would ask your vet to do a consult with Dr. Teresa Bradley in Belton MO or Dr. Fromfeld in TX.

We have found that just because a vet has or has had gliders and has or does work for a zoo does not always mean they are glider knowledgeable vets.
Posted By: SugarBlossoms

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/06/08 11:44 PM

Originally Posted By: Dancing
I read your above post and my heart skipped a beat I think.

Because of the way a glider's built, their cloaca is a one place does everything exit, giving a glider an enema can be very damaging. This is highly recommended AGAINST doing.

I would ask your vet to do a consult with Dr. Teresa Bradley in Belton MO or Dr. Fromfeld in TX.

We have found that just because a vet has or has had gliders and has or does work for a zoo does not always mean they are glider knowledgeable vets.


Ummm, yeah, I think my heart actually stopped for a minute...

Enemas aren't something to give a glider, his diet needs adjusting for sure. Something is causing the constipation. Variety is good if the foods are correct for the glider but even TOO much variety can cause serious problems.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/15/08 01:05 AM

I haven't replied because something in my computer fried, and I haven't gotten my RMA'd or new parts back yet.

But his stomach is pretty much back down to normal and he seems to be fine. Pooping and everything.
Posted By: SugarBlossoms

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/15/08 02:04 AM

That is great to hear!!! You need to get pics of him!! smile
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/18/08 05:34 AM

I'm soo happy to hear that your little one is doing much better.
Sending good thoughts your way hug2
Posted By: tammyangel

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/18/08 07:10 AM

Im happy the little one is doing better.
Posted By: jannee66

Re: glider's stomach hard and fat - 12/18/08 07:14 AM

dance dance
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