> About the Tetracyline I live in England and I went to the only pet
>"superstore" near me which was Pets at Home but the only thing they had was
>the loose stool remedy for cage birds but I will stop giving them that in
>case it is harmful.I think the vet is my only option, unless it is called
>something else over here?
Ornacycline is a bird medication that has tetracycline in it and that
is what we commonly use in the US unless one has a kind vet that
will sell you the correct stuff < I do, which helps>
Go to the vet. There is something called Baytril, they can prescribe
it. It might help.
> Out of the 2 males one appears to be getting over his illness (maybe
because
>I cleaned the cage thoroughly) his eyes were glued shut and he was very
>lethargic but now they are open and he is scratching away at the corner of
>the enclosure.The other Male seems to be getting worse though, his faeces
are
>totally liquid and his eyes are glued shut with red mucus.Do you think I
>should seperate the two?
YES! Separate them. You can always do a split cage later.
Keep the recovering one warm and make sure he's drinking water and
staying hydrated.
The one that's worse off, keep him warm. Take a soft cloth with some
clean warm water and sponge off his eyes. This will soften the crusts
and help clean them up.
Feed him liquid with an eyedropper to stay ahead of the diahrrea.
If he dehydrates too far he will die from the dehydration. Use KMR
(Kitten Milk Replacer) or Puppy Milk Replacer if you can't get the
KMR. Feed it warm (between baby bottle warm and room temperature)
from an eyedropper or needle-less syringe. If you can get ornacycline
feed that too, mix it as it says for birds. Also, use a mixture of half
water, half light corn syrup. Any fluid you give, try to give it warm.
The KMR gives energy and nutrition. The cornsyrup, instant energy.
The ornacycline, medication to help stop what's going on. You're
going to have to give at least a few drops every fifteen minutes or
so until you get normal responses from the animal! [this might take
hours, many hours] I feed the cornsyrup at the start of the treatment
session, then every third or fourth time. Feed KMR as much as they'll
take. If you have the ornacycline, I feed a drop of that every time I
feed the animal at all.
Set up a small escape proof cage, and put an adhesive reptile heater
(they stick to aquarium glass) on the outside of the tank on a corner
to make a 'warm corner' or shine a light on the side with the bulb
close to the glass. This will allow the animal to get away from it if it
gets too warm, otherwise it can choose to stay there. Rip up some
unscented undyed toilet tissue, and use that for bedding. If the animal
is really unresponsive, swaddle it loosely (wrap it up) with unscented
undyed toilet tissue, a few layers, leaving the head sort of sticking
out. This way it stays warmer, and you can have access to it as you
feed....and if the diahrrea continues, you won't get it on you (just
rewrap the animal as needed).
Be very careful when feeding to not force the fluid down the throat
or otherwise allow the animal to aspirate the fluid. If it does this
will probably kill the animal within a few minutes as it chokes to
death. I hold the animal (usually swaddled) stomach down, at
about sixty degrees off of totally flat. Taking a few drops of fluid
into the eyedropper, I insert it from the side just behind the front
teeth, being careful of where the tongue is--don't shove that
down the throat. Put a little fluid in the mouth...if it swallows,
give it more. If it doesn't, withdraw the dropper, and try
stroking the throat a little or shift the animal just a little bit.
IF IT SWALLOWS you're getting a response (hurrah) and keep
at it. Try to get it to take at least a drop at a feeding. As it comes
out of the decline, it may start to lap at the dropper and not like it
stuck in the mouth. In that case I just put it to the lips and gently
squeeze fluid where it can take it up at it's own pace.
If it survives long enough to get it to the vet, he may have to do
subcutaneous hydration (which means taking IV solution and
injecting it under the skin) and other treatments. Which won't
be cheap.
I wish you a lot of luck.
Keep a close eye on the other animal, and make sure it doesn't
backslide as well. If you see ANY sign of deterioration in condition,
begin the same treatment on that one too.
Use hand sanitizer and keep your sleeves rolled up, don't touch
either animal to your clothes, and clean yourself up thoroughly
between each animal...or the ill ones and touching anything else.
Use separate equipment (i.e., eyedroppers) and separate batches
of fluids (mix one batch, pour into two containers, and keep those
separate from then on) for each animal.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
