GliderCENTRAL

HLP

Posted By: JessW

HLP - 09/10/16 06:39 PM

Posted yesterday thinking my Camille was having a baby, I was wrong. Came out this morning and she has limited use of her back legs. We're at the vet now, getting X-rays to rule out any issues there, but I really think it's HLP from how she looks. She'll get subq fluids and calcium while she's in the back and I'm going to get everything to start them on BML tonight (reading other HLP threads it looks like that would be a good switch). I'm so distraught, Icarus is beside himself. He was so solicitous this morning licking her and wouldn't leave her side.

They've been on Critterlove with the salad mix, and Icarus looks good... Idk if she stopped eating some of her food for some reason or what. I just don't know.
Posted By: sugarfluff

Re: HLP - 09/10/16 09:08 PM

I'm so sorry to hear about Camille, poor little girl. I feed my gliders BML, so far it's working for our set up. HLP is a big fear of mine, I do hope that she will be ok and overcome this. You got her to the vet asap so that should work in her favor. Please keep in touch and let us know how she does.
Posted By: JessW

Re: HLP - 09/10/16 10:14 PM

She perked up a bit after the fluids and calcium. I'm out getting BML stuff now, but the only brand calcium our store had was flukers. I'm debating just using it until I can order the Repcal, but it says not to substitute on the BML page, and the vet gave me subq calcium to give her every 12 hours, so idk if she'll be good with that or if I need to do the oral calcium too...
Posted By: Feather

Re: HLP - 09/10/16 10:36 PM

What diet are they on right now?

Years ago there were several gliders that were showing the signs of HLP. True HLP due to not enough Calcium takes years to show up. They found that these gliders had bacterial infections in their gut and that was leaching the calcium from their bodies.

Your vet should check for parasites and do a culture and sensitivity test of the stool and also have him swab inside the cloaca (Dr. Ness from the Chicago area told me about swabbing the cloaca).

When those gliders showed the symptoms years ago they were all on BML, BML is the highest calcium diet out there.

My gliders are on Critterlove Plus, a great diet with a balanced calcium level and I had two gliders show these symptoms a couple years ago. The one we put on antibiotics almost fully recovered the use of her front end. (Yes, the front end can be affected too.) She regained use of her back legs and runs in the wheel every night.

The second one was an older glider and she didn't recover any use of her front end, she basically went from the nest box (she couldn't climb) to the food dish and back again. I lost her a couple months ago.

Here is an post for you to read: http://www.glidercentral.net/ubbthreads/...w_ow#Post988683

Please keep us updated on her progress.
Posted By: JessW

Re: HLP - 09/10/16 10:53 PM

I went out to get supplements and food.... And came back and she was gone frown

I don't know what I'm going to do about Icarus.
Posted By: JessW

Re: HLP - 09/10/16 11:10 PM

I have the antiparasitic and antibiotic the vet prescribed to Camille, I think I'm going to give them to Icarus prophylacticly. He seemed fine this morning when she looked so sick, I'll see how he's doing tonight when he wakes up.

They were so close, I am not looking forward to him discovering she isn't there


I really want to do a necropsy, but I just can't afford it. I spent 300$ at the vet today... For nothing.
Posted By: Terry

Re: HLP - 09/10/16 11:16 PM

I'm so sorry for your loss. Give Icarus lots of attention and love. You may consider getting a new cage mate for him soon, see how he does.
Posted By: Feather

Re: HLP - 09/11/16 12:54 AM

I am very sorry for your loss. May you find comfort and peace in your memories of her.

Glide Free Little Camille :rbridge:
Posted By: sugarfluff

Re: HLP - 09/11/16 01:57 AM

I am so sorry for your loss JessW. How hard this must be for you two, I wish your hearts well.

A friendly note: It may be a good idea to check with your vet before giving Icarus her medication, just to make sure it is safe for him to take (unless owners who have experienced this know that sharing medications is ok) and perhaps a vet check & tests as well to make sure he stays healthy.
Posted By: mechnut450

Re: HLP - 09/11/16 11:59 AM

So sorry to hear that she didnt make it. I agree I think test and check up for him too are in order. and it may seem a lot but a necropsy might help prevent you from loosing him too encase it something else that just not random act of nature.
Posted By: Srlb

Re: HLP - 09/11/16 12:33 PM

Please do NOT just give your glider medications without taking him into the vet for a wellness check.

As stated above, most cases of what looks to be HLP is due from bacterial or parasitic issues and not diet related at all. Unfortunately, most gliders hide their illnesses so well, we do not see the signs until it is too late. I am sorry for your loss.

I would suggest for you to have a necropsy and a Histopath to be done on your little girl to try to find out what happened.

For your little boy, have a fecal float/smear and snap done. You will have to ask for these.

If you start to give him meds prior to taking him to the vet, you are more than likely going to cover what the issue is and may do him more harm then good.
Posted By: KarenE

Re: HLP - 09/11/16 03:11 PM

I am so very sorry, Jess. I too have to urge you not to give those meds without first checking with your vet at the very least since Icarus appears to have no symptoms and seems healthy. You could be doing him more harm than good.
Posted By: JessW

Re: HLP - 09/13/16 04:24 PM

I called the vet and icarus is going in for some tests today. He seems fine, just very jumpy- I think he's stressed. He's been refusing cuddles too frown
He wasn't eating much, but I did see some bites taken out of his papaya and a few veggies from his salad missing, so I think he's starting to eat again.


I think he learned how to open his cage door -_- this morning was the second in a row the door was open. Yesterday morning I found tiny poops on the back of my chair, so he did some exploring Sunday night. I'll be tying it from now on.
Posted By: JessW

Re: HLP - 09/13/16 04:25 PM

And thank you everyone for the advice and kind words. I'm trying not to beat myself up, I can't think of anything I could have done differently, but I keep running over everything in my head...
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