Poor Flower. RIP 12/25

[fenshae]

Posting this for Callie, because I'm a little baffled.

This is about Flower. She and Agnes (rip) came through in September, somewhere around 18 months old. So Flower's about 21-22 months old now. After Agnes died, the cage politics changed a bit and the girls started to scuffle, so Callie had initially attributed the abscesses to that. But they've been cleaning them out daily for a little over a week now and they just keep staying gross. Flower's also on antibiotics...I don't remember which kind, though....for the abscesses.

Within the last day or two, Flower's started having balance issues. She's also shedding weight and, as of today, a broken bottom tooth. My first thought was maybe the abscess was linked to a Zymbal's gland tumor? But I think it's in the wrong place for that. I've never had one, myself, so I don't really know though. And she's not just got the one on her cheek, she's also got the one on her elbow and her nose.

Pics are below, hidden for grossness.

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Any ideas? From what it sounds like, I'm afraid it may be time to PTS, but I wanted to get some opinions before I reported back tomorrow.

 

[lilspaz68]

Is the poor love eating, drinking? Is she in pain? What do they see when those scabs come off? I assume they are flushing out the abscesses?

 

[jorats]

Oh dear, poor thing. that looks like a tooth abscess. But the fact that top to bottom has it, it seems to indicate a bite mark. Definitely not a Zymbal gland tumour.
Can you find out what antibiotics? Chlor palm might be what's needed here... or a combo, Clavamax and Bactrim?

 

[fenshae]

Apparently cleaning today was more productive. The one on her shoulder burst and they were able to get it cleaned thoroughly, and the other two drained a lot as well. I also thought, looking at the pic, that the nose and cheek ones look like a bite mark. Pus is thick and cheesey.

Antibiotic is sulfatrim. THere's also some zithro in the house but it's probably expired, it's a month old.

Apparently Flower isn't eating a lot of hard food, but she's voraciously chowing down on soft fruit/veggies and liquids. I told her to start mashing up the lab blocks to go with the bananas and peas and ensure etc. to get the nutrients out of it.

 

[victoria]

Can your friend get antibiotic sensitivity testing done on the abscesses? That way she can fight them with the best meds possible.

 

[lilspaz68]

So the poor lassie was in a wicked fight, any clue who did this to her?

Bactrim is decent but how long has she been on it now?
If its been a long time, I second a culture and sensitivity of the bacteria.

 

[Aida]

I don't think its time to send get to the rainbow, since she is eating, drinking, and sounds okay except for the abscesses. Keep trying to flush them and shell be fine. :hugs:

 

[jorats]

Bactrim should have done the trick by now so it's not working. Time to try something new like Chlorpalm or Clavamox.

 

[fenshae]

Can somebody check the dosage of the Sulfa for me? I'm wondering if she's not getting enough.

Concentration is 240mg/5mL, Flower ways a grand total of 163 grams (she's soooo tiny). She's been getting .1cc once a day

Going to see about a vet appointment to get a culture done, but not sure if her vet is equipped so it may have to wait until she can get down to Cruces and have my vet do it. Her vet's a little derpy.

EDIT:
As for the fight, she got into a scuffle with Beatrix and/or Eiko. They're probably 2-3 times her size and a little crazy (they're the sisters of my three spazz boys) so I imagine it wasn't too hard to throw her around. She's been separated out from them and is in a smaller one-level cage with a friend. I'm wondering if the balance issues she's been having are from some neuro issue, or if she's just weak from being so skinny.

 

[jorats]

Where you able to get the sulfa worked out? Your best bet next time for dosages, PM lilspaz, she's great with dosages.

 

[fenshae]

We looked it up on Ratguide and did some math. It was a group effort, but we figured it out lol

Flower's doing way better last I heard. I haven't checked in for a few days, but last Callie texted me the one on her arm was almost healed up and she had more jaw movement. I'm going to have her take it slow and re-intro with the girls just to be safe, but I think the bigger issue is that Beatrix & Eiko are just so much bigger and sassier.

 

[fenshae]

What a crappy day this has been.

Not only Basil, but Callie texted me this evening that Flower passed away today. Completely unexpected. The abscesses were healing, she had recovered her energy, she was eating great, they'd just trimmed her tooth that was growing funny and she was back to eating hard food. She gobbled down some Christmas dinner (tofurky) and ran on her wheel and snuggled with her buddies. Then was gone a couple hours later. No explanation.

 

[Aida]

I am so sorry for Flower. Poor thing. >_<

HAppily, it seems that the pain went away- and she didn't die horribly.

 

[ChrisK]

I'm so sorry..

 

[mamarat]

I'm so sorry. RIP little one.

 

[Joanne]

Ug, that's so discouraging when you think they're on the rebound, and then gone.....
I'm glad that her last few days were good. RIP Flower

 

[Godmother]

So sorry. Just when you thought you could relax. RIP Flower

 

[SQ]

I am so very sorry

 

[*Rebel_Angel*]

I'm so sorry!

 

[momofmany]

I'm so sorry! :hugs: