GliderCENTRAL

Vet trip stressful for me and my glider!

Posted By: Anonymous

Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/02/07 06:47 PM

Today I had a vet appointment for my little boy who is almost 4 mos. Well, he went crazy! He's usually pretty calm and sweet, especially suring the day when he's still sleepy. But he did not like the vet's office at all! He tried to run away. He peed and pooped more than I've ever seen before! And it was a soft stinky poo! (Not normal). Then he crabbed...which I really never hear him do! So this trip really was terrible. Then he would not go back into his pouch. I tried giving him a mealie and a yogie, both of which he refused. Finally I was able to grab him and get him tucked away into his pouch. And I decided to come back in a week and bring his cage mate with...hopefully she will keep him more calm. *sigh* i am so stressed right now, he really scared me. I was afraid he was going to get out into the lobby where there were loose cats! Now we are home and he is still shaking in his pouch. frown

What can I do to help calm him down for the next trip to the vet? Any suggestions??
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/02/07 07:05 PM

You can try pressing him to your chest and massaging him while he is still in his pouch. That way he will know you are there and he may feel safer.

You can wait with him in the car and ask them to call you on your cell phone when your turn comes so that he does not have to wait in the waiting room with the other animals.

Remember that he identifies his world through smell, and the vets office is full of strange and frightening smells.

If you can get the first appointment of the day there will be fewer animal smells to frighten him.

Keep us posted.
Posted By: ValkyrieMome

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/02/07 07:20 PM

The soft Very stinky poo is something that many small animals do when they are very scared or very stressed (or both).

Often they will do it when traveling, if they aren't used to traveling. It isn't true diahrea, because it is almost "selective." Not that they are choosing to do it, but it is a natural reaction to stress. (Maybe it repells preditors?)

Similarly, I think some cats just seem to shed more under stress ... shakehead
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/02/07 07:50 PM

I am so sorry to hear your vet trip was so stressful for you and your baby. hug2 Hopefully things go better next week...you'll have to let us know.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/02/07 08:14 PM

Yes, hopefully next week will run a lot more smoothely. He has never run away from me like that before, so I panicked a little bit. I am just wondering how the vet will be able to examine him if he won't sit still. When I had my girl in to see the vet a few weeks back, she was so calm. The vet had me hold her by scruffing or pinching the skin on the back of her neck. I felt so bad doing that to her because I had to hold it pretty firmly to be able to keep her in one place. I was so proud of her though because she didn't crab, bite, or anything! I don't know how I'm going to be able to hold on to my little boy though because he is still pretty small. I don't want to hurt him, and I don't want to stress him. shakehead Just going to heave to keep my fingers crossed I guess.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/02/07 08:23 PM

Would it be possible to have the vet do the majority of the examination from within the pouch?
My vet actually prefers this way, she says it keeps them a little calmer to be around something familiar. Even with getting weights, I hold them for a minute, while she tares the pouch on the scale. Usually they act completely indifferent if they are in the pouch. The second they are pulled out, they flip. If they are in the pouch, they practically sleep while she inspects hands, feet, teeth...
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/02/07 08:25 PM

I actually was thinking about trying this. It's a good suggestion, thanks.
Posted By: Carrie T

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/02/07 10:58 PM

I'd suggest stuffing their pouch with extra blankets this week too. Let them stink those up pretty good and leave them in the pouch when you go back. Hopefully it will provide a barrior against all the new smells at the vets office. Taking his mate with him is also very good. At least they will be in that scary place together. Good luck and I'll be thinking of you next week. wave
Posted By: tbull

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/02/07 11:56 PM

I'm sorry you and your suggie had such a rough time. My gliders actually like going to the vet.

From the time they are little, I take them in once in a while for a "happy visit" this is when we go in and just get treats, held, and pet by the vets and the techs. They say it helps so the gliders (they will do it with any pet you have) don't associate their office with bad stuff, like ouchies, shots, pokes and prodes. It really does work well. Even when I go in for dog or cat food, anyone in my pouch that day, jumps right to the top of the pouch expecting goodies. ( I always supply the treats myself, so I know they are glider safe )

There was one appointment that I took Ayla in to check for a pouch infection, and she was so calm she laid in my hand and let the vet open her pouch to check it out and she had a tiny surprise joey in there. We were alittle afraid she would pull it since we were messing with the pouch, it was the first joey IP either of us had seen and the vet thought it was a spot of swelling (the joey was a see thru pink blob ) until it moved. But I am sure because of all the happy visits she was not stressed and she gave me a beautiful little boy a couple months later.

Maybe you could go in a few times for very short happy visits and extend them as he calms down.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/03/07 12:41 AM

tbull, What a great idea. Thanks very much for that insite.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/03/07 09:24 AM

You have gotten some great ideas.

I do "practice vet visits" but we usually go to the post office and get taken out of the pouch on the table and looked at all over. I hadnt thought of just going to the vet's office for happy visits.

I will have to start that.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/03/07 09:31 AM

Ok, so maybe I'm being paranoid, but I would be worried about taking my gliders to the vet unnecessarily. I mean, technically, the place is full of sick animals all day long - I would be scared of exposing my little ones to that. I would think that practice trips to say a friend's house or something would be much safer. Again, I tend to be an overprotective Mama, but I wanted to throw that out there.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/07/07 04:44 PM

This time around went a little better. I brought both of my gliders in. Of course, my girl was calm as could be and wanted to check everything out. Meanwhile, my little boy is huddled in the bottom of his pouch. I tried giving him a couple of treats but he really wasn't interested and it didn't take long for the other one to grab them. The vet was able to do most of the examining while he was still in the pouch, but he definately made it hard for her. And he did crab, pee, and poop...again. But, he did not run away.

Unfortunately, I think I may have to find another vet and get another exam done because I was not completely satisfied with this one. I want to get him neutered because he has already started mating and has his bald spots, etc. But he is still only 3 mos. This vet won't do it until he is 6 mos. And she has only neutered a couple of sugar gliders before. I explained to her that I wanted to leave the sac on him, but she seemed to blow me off on that point. I also explained that I did not want her to use any glue because it causes a higher chance of SM. But again, she didn't seem to totally agree with me. She said..well, he might, but then he might not..and you never know if it is caused by the glue or just the incision bothering him.

So anyway, I'm not thrilled about this vet and looks like I will be making another appointment somewhere else.

My poor little guy is so mad at me. I think I have traumatized him.
Posted By: Slickable3

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/07/07 04:50 PM

Awwe..glad to hear it went better though. He'll be ok, after a little time to settle. Now you know you just have to bring both of them every time! lol
Yeah I really don't like the way the vet just blew you off like that. I would definitely try and find another one, good idea.
Posted By: tbull

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/08/07 03:23 AM

Your right to go with your gut. If your not happy with that vet you definately need to find another one. Remember the vet is doing a service for you, they should respect your wishes.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Vet trip stressful for me and my glider! - 02/08/07 04:03 AM

My gliders also get very stressed at the vet!

I highly recommend having a small travel cage for them instead of a pouch only. My one glider actually escaped from a fully zipped pouch she was so ticked after her first vet visit. My gliders really appreciate the ability to move around in the travel cage and blow off some steam. Have a pouch in there they can sleep in. They won't be happy for a few hours, but they will come around and calm back down after a while smile
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