I have a mom that was diagnosed with milk fever. As soon as the joeys came OOP, I started supplementing them to give mom a break, hoping to build up her strength. I must have been supplimenting them too much. She was fine when I got her out to hand feed her. With the milk fever, she has lost her appetite. Then 3 hours later, when I got the joeys out to supplement them, her two bottom teets were out, and HUGE! Very red and angry.
She is on antibiodics, anti-inflamortories, and I'm holding warm, moist packs, on her teets afew times a day. These pictures look bad, but believe it or not, she looks much better than the first day. I wish I would have gotten pictures then. She scared me to death. But I do have 3 sizes of e-jackets, and 3 e-collars ready at a moment's notice. My glider's vet tech also put her number on my cell phone, in case I am alone and need to get her in one of the collars or jackets fast.
Awe, poor momma. It is too bad they are so small you can't milk them out to relieve the pressure.
Kimberley Feathers-Sweetie, Mister Peanut & Big Mack Fur-Guinan, Mr. Spock, T'Mir, Cho, Toothless, Maverick & Maharet T'Pol, Elizabeth & Curzon TY, TJ, Light Fury, Madison & T'Pring Forever in my heart, Gizmo, Tucker, Khayman and the rest of my babies over the
Re: Mastitis - it can happen FAST
[Re: tbull]
#1204092 12/13/1104:48 PM12/13/1104:48 PM
I understand this all to well as I breast fed my last son till 4 months old then I had to take a job suddenly and man did they hurt. I couldn't pump at work as it was a very dirty job so I went to the bathroom and had to squeeze some out to relieve the pressure. Poor mama I completely understand what shes going thru and feel so sorry for her. Hope she gets better soon.
Raychell Stayton My Daria Maddox Nadia Sampson
Re: Mastitis - it can happen FAST
[Re: Feather]
#1204100 12/13/1104:59 PM12/13/1104:59 PM
Awe, poor momma. It is too bad they are so small you can't milk them out to relieve the pressure.
You should have seen my vet's face, when I first took her in, and he saw her. I told him, "she looks like a Vegas Showgirl". Then I told him, "take her in the back, sedate her, and milk those babies." He was totally red faced. Then he said no, because in her condition, it was too dangerous to sedate her.
Luckily, I did catch it early, before they got hard. Her teets are about half the size they were at first, and she does relax now, when I put the warm, wet fleece blanket on them.
Poor baby, that looks awful. I'm glad that you caught it right away, not sure if I would have been able to catch it that fast. So it was just all hanging out like that? You know... just in case that happens to one of mine I know what to look for.
sherri
Forever home to a wide variety of animals, domestic, farm and exotic. My passion is my little suggie sweethearts! 731-441-9814
I was lucky, but I'm a freak about doing full body checks on all my gliders every time they are out. But with mom having milk fever, she has no appetite, so I have been syringe, force feeding, extra calories and calcium to her 2 or 3 times a day. I always check my nursing mom's pouches to look for any issues. This definitely took me by surprise. Before, she looked like a big red balloon was coming out of her. Now they are deflating alittle, and the color is so much better. I have gotten various answers to letting the joeys nurse or not, but my vet and I decided, it was better for her comfort, to let the joeys nurse as much as possible right now, and up her calories even higher. I weigh her and the joeys 2 -3 times aday, and if any start dropping, I will pull them.
Someone needs to design a little milk machine for sugar gliders just for this purpose. Poor Mamma.
Kimberley Feathers-Sweetie, Mister Peanut & Big Mack Fur-Guinan, Mr. Spock, T'Mir, Cho, Toothless, Maverick & Maharet T'Pol, Elizabeth & Curzon TY, TJ, Light Fury, Madison & T'Pring Forever in my heart, Gizmo, Tucker, Khayman and the rest of my babies over the
Re: Mastitis - it can happen FAST
[Re: tbull]
#1204165 12/13/1106:42 PM12/13/1106:42 PM
I'm glad you and your vet are letting the joeys nurse as much as possible.
I breastfed all four of my babies and had mastitis with the first one. Even tho that's been many years ago, I remember the pain of being so engorged. Ouchie! Poor mama!
Kudos for you being such an observant suggie mommy!!!
Mom would do better with her milk fever, if we pulled the joeys, but would be in more pain from the mastitis.
The joeys always do better with mom's milk, but would they get infected from the mastitis? And would they get enough to eat, fighting those big boobs?
Then the whole, if it hurts to nurse, would mom hurt or kill the joeys?
This time following my gut worked ( it has failed me before ) and leaving the joeys with mom and dad has been OK. The joeys are growing, mom's teets are shrinking, and mom is holding her own with her weight. I will continue to make the whole family mad, afew times a day, with kicking daddy out of the pouch, to force feed mom and weigh her and the kids. Daddy is being a great sport about the whole thing. I take the sleeping pouch out and he automaticly climbs out, and sits on their tree branch, until I am done and bring the pouch back. Then he licks my hand and climbs back in the pouch to help mom clean up, from her spiting her formula all over herself, while fighting the syringe. Then he snuggles the joeys in under him to make sure they are warm, since mom is alittle wet.
I wonder what I did to deserve this karma slap. First losing my beautiful Cream last month, and hand raising her twins, and now this. BUT this family WILL LIVE!
Wow! Thanks for sharing! Its not always Karma. Sometimes it is what it is, bad things happen to good people (well you get the point!). Please keep us posted! Excellent learning thread for sure.
You're doing such a fantastic job, T! I am thinking of you and the family and SO happy to hear they're accepting your love and attention (and annoyance LOL).
Also wanted to mention that mastitis can happen to gliders who are not nursing. I have only had it here twice, and both times have been with gliders who are not breeding. Dr.s Walsh and Pearson treated both with a shot of Convenia and I applied warm compresses and both healed up pretty quickly.
~~ Val B ~~ 806-803-0318 Daily giving the abused, unloved, unwanted and neglected SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN
PLEASE COMPLETE YOUR SUGAR GROUP SURVEYS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also wanted to mention that mastitis can happen to gliders who are not nursing. I have only had it here twice, and both times have been with gliders who are not breeding. Dr.s Walsh and Pearson treated both with a shot of Convenia and I applied warm compresses and both healed up pretty quickly.
Good to know. I thought it only happened because of my supplementing the joeys too much.
My mom got a shot of Convenia also, and the anti inflamatory, that I can not remember the name of. She actually is starting to like the warm compresses.
With a little luck she'll just end up a little extra spoiled and wanting the baby-ing after. She gets some extra one-on-one attention, fed by hand (sort of), a nice warm spot on her tummy... But I'm very happy for you that she's going to come out of this fine and spoiled.
Yay!!!!! I hope she gets and extra mealie or 12 for being so strong and sweet to her babies!!
I know I wouldnt want any one or thing touching my boobs if they were that big and sore...
"Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy."
Yay!!!!! I hope she gets and extra mealie or 12 for being so strong and sweet to her babies!!
I know I wouldnt want any one or thing touching my boobs if they were that big and sore...
Oh she gets LOTS of treats for being so good. Daddy is getting purdy fluffy for his part too. I was very impressed at how calm she was with the joeys. The little girl was furious about digging in, to get past the big boob, to get to the inner ones. But I checked them head to tail, several times a day, and not one scratch on those kids. Momma is a trooper!
I'm so sorry to hear about more problems with your babies I know its been a hard couple months for you. Just glad they have such a great mom that does anything for her babies even if it means no sleep for you.
Just wanted to let know you your grandbabies are doing great.
Great News!!!! Thank you for keeping us updated! Not everyone understands Some of us feel as though you "involved us" so now we want to hear how it plays out. I hope your story continues on the right track of perfect health for your mama glider!!!
Great News!!!! Thank you for keeping us updated! Not everyone understands Some of us feel as though you "involved us" so now we want to hear how it plays out. I hope your story continues on the right track of perfect health for your mama glider!!!
Oh I know, it drives me nuts when we don't get updates. There are times I am hitting refresh all night, to see if a sick or injured glider across the country, has made it to the vet, or has gotten better.
Thank you all for the caring thoughts, and prayer for my little family.