Advice on a sugar glider's passing

I just talked to my vet about my sugar glider passing away last night and she offered to look at him to see what happened. If they can even figure out what happened.
I really don't feel comfortable with doing this because I just want him at rest after his suffering towards the end, but she said it could possibly help my currently sick glider. It doesn't seem like they have the same issue but I'm afraid to take that chance. I was just wondering if anybody has ever allowed an autopsy type procedure to be done on their glider? Can they really figure out why he truly bled out? I'm just really nervous either way. :/

It is called a necropsy on animals, and we encourage members to have them done whenever possible as it may indeed give answers to why a glider died as well as help those cage mates still living.

It is important to know, however, that sometimes you will not always get a definite answer. Sometimes you will just get a general cause of death.

If the cost is not prohibitive for you to have this done, if it were me, I would do it since the vet is not sure of the cause of death.

Since necropsies are a very invasive procedure, it would be best not to ask for your little one back unless he is in a sealed container or has been cremated.

I strongly agree with KarenE. I would highly suggest getting a necropsy done. Not only will it provide answers for those that are living and could be effective, but it also helps provide some closure.

We had one done just recently on a sugar glider that died unexpectedly. While it didn't provide all the answers I hoped for, it did provide me with closure and allowed me to reflect on the situation and how I can improve as a sugar glider owner.

I have had necropsies done on some of my gliders, I even sat in one the necropsy of my favorite glider. It really helped me in that it affirmed that I made the right decision to help him over the bridge.

Necropsies sometimes provide answers sometimes they don't but they do help veterinarians learn.

Thank you everyone for your advice and experiences. I had a lot to think about but I did end up letting them look at him. I am unable to afford any sort of testing to be sent off, due to the fact that I have spent nearly $2000 in the past 2 months for 3 sugar gliders and I still have an ill glider. Fortunately the vet was able to look at him as a 'study' for their interns so it didn't cost any money but they did find that he actually had a heart disease which caused the blood in his lungs. His cause of death though was drowning on his blood :'( Which I knew was the cause of death because it happened in my hands. Very hard to hear what they had to say but I am thinking my first glider, Flash, may have passed away due to heart failure as well. Now I am also more nervous in a way because she said heart disease is more often than not gentic, which means more of my gliders could have it:/
At least now I am some answered and I am aware of possible health risks for all of my gliders.

That was nice of them, and you have a little closure. Hopefully it isn't genetic.

It is a hard choice to make but now you do have some answers. That was very nice of your vet to do this as a learning experience for others.

Hopefully this is something that won't necessarily be passed to all that family.

Does anyone know if heart failure could be from in-breading?

Inbreeding can cause any number of health problems in gliders.

The big thing is to link inbreeding to health problems and to do that we need more people having necropsies done on their gliders.

That along with a health history including diet and all health care would help veterinarians learn so much more about our little fuzzy friends.

I know my mama and daddy gliders aren't related, they came from two different owners and in two different areas. So just be aware of all possibilities that could potentially happen. I hope by doing a necropsies I can help my vet identify or be aware of future issuses in other gliders.

you wouldnt know if your gliders are related because breeders ship all over. you need to have lineage to determine if any glider is related.

i have joeys in alot of different states and have had to decline a joey sale, from a different state because they are to closely related.

just a fyi.

i am sorry abt. your babies. i hope all your other gliders
are ok.