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Post by Dezzi on Sept 17, 2009 17:52:24 GMT -4
Thankfully I live super close to a vet who specializes in small animals. (Haven't heard anything bad yet, everyone who goes there loves him) I am going to be taking Meeks in as he's been losing hair and when I gave him an inspection it looks like he's got weird sores on him. It was pretty gross actually, first time I've gagged when doing a check. I got a picture of one of the patches he's missing: (teehee his bum looks so big!) So he gets to go for a visit this Saturday and hopefully we'll be able to find out what's wrong and get my boy feeling better.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Sept 17, 2009 21:03:16 GMT -4
>> he's been losing hair and when I gave him an inspection it looks like he's got weird sores on him. << I pray it is not Cushing's Disease. See my thread on that issue, which Makeeda, and her son Stanley, had, years ago. That was a long discussion and thread. In fact, Kain gave me the heads up on CD; the stupid vet was useless. See the Rodent Health forum for that sticky thread, and others in Hamsters such as "Makeeda has cancer?" which goes back several years. I hope it is not that. I also posted about a young fellow I rescued from a pet store with it. They thought they were doing good by letting me have him as they did not know what it was. I thanked them and told them later he was fine (he was not). They felt good, though.
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Post by Dezzi on Sept 17, 2009 21:19:44 GMT -4
I have no idea. I guess we will find out on Saturday.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Sept 17, 2009 21:21:56 GMT -4
You read the descriptions in that thread, I assume.
Do not rely too much on vets. I know more than most of them about small animals.
Best wishes.
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Post by pinky on Sept 17, 2009 21:49:53 GMT -4
Hollie's (Hamwolf's) Yuiko is now in the last stages of Cushing's. She may have had her put to sleep--she was on the fence about that about a week ago. Sad.
Hope Meeks doesn't have it. . . . good luck Saturday.
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Post by Dezzi on Sept 17, 2009 22:30:08 GMT -4
I've seen the whole "take your degu to the vet and they go 'okay so lets see the gerbil' thing" and I won't have any of it. This is one of the rare vets that actually specializes in small animals and knows what he's talking about.
I don't think Meeks has Cushing's. His behavior hasn't changed at all. He drinks/eats the same as always. The skin isn't flaking, just scabby. He's also not smelly at all. I think it's either some type of insect/worm that I can't see (or have missed in my searching) or an allergic reaction to something. It could possibly be Cushing's but it doesn't seem like it to me. Then again, I could be wrong. Saturday will tell!
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Sept 17, 2009 23:17:29 GMT -4
Yes, drinking and eating changes are a symptoms of CD - as if the ham was diabetic.
If I knew what I know now, what that vet did not know, I would have put Makeeda to sleep. But this story has been posted, along with my complaining to NYS about the vet.
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Post by Hamsters82 on Sept 18, 2009 1:34:13 GMT -4
So sorry about Meeks, some hamsters just do this as I've seen with my own. I hope he's feeling better and that's great that you have a vet near you that specializes in small animals. Do not rely too much on vets. I know more than most of them about small animals. ^I know your experience about vets Tom, but I highly doubt that you know more than a vet that specializes in them. We'll have to see how Dez likes him and if he's good, so never just jump to conclusions that the vet isn't good. You did that with mine I remember and ours was good.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Sept 18, 2009 13:29:40 GMT -4
I did not say I know more than the vet that SPECIALIZES in small animals. But MOST KNOW SQUAT. You want me to tell, again, the story of the other vet who claimed she knew hamsters. . . and then was not even sure if Princess was a female? That story is well know, too - the 1 AM trip to the emergency vet, which is now a Muslim boutique! "Are you SURE she is a female?". But at least she was nice, and I got my Baytril. And Princess lasted another six months. The other vet was so bad I busted his ass with the NYS Board of Professional Discipline.
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Post by Dezzi on Sept 18, 2009 17:28:28 GMT -4
Ugh I do NOT look forward to treating whatever it is Meeks has. He's not exactly keen on being handled, much less treated for anything. *eyeroll* At least he doesn't bite anymore!
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Sept 18, 2009 22:56:36 GMT -4
You had best hope it CAN be treated.
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Post by Dezzi on Sept 18, 2009 23:57:33 GMT -4
Aaaaaahhhhhh I'm stressing! Tomorrow is the day...
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Post by Dezzi on Sept 19, 2009 20:07:35 GMT -4
Well, Meeks was NOT a happy camper at the vet's today! He was examined, inspected under UV lights, and a verdict was reached. He does have Cushing's, however it's very mild so far. He isn't going to be put on medication unless he starts getting to the tumors or the itchy self-mutilating. Aside from the hair-loss, he's totally healthy. The vet said that he as long as he doesn't get any open wounds where a bacterial infection could occur, he should be fine. There are no signs of tumors at all, no flaking in the skin, etc. As far as things go now, I will end up with a bald hamster. Of course I'm going to keep my eye on him and take him in if something changes. Oh, and what I thought was scabbing actually was teeny pieces of dried cranberry he'd decided to sleep in.
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Post by pinky on Sept 19, 2009 20:55:33 GMT -4
Sorry to hear this, Dezzi--but it sounds as though the vet inspires confidence and is giving you the best assessment of Meeks possible. Hopefully he won't worsen too rapidly and you'll have many more months with him.
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Post by Dezzi on Sept 19, 2009 21:56:18 GMT -4
Yeah, I understand why his clients like him. He showed me pictures of things to look for and bring Meeks in if I see. He showed me the different stages of it and gave me a some estimates on prices and treatments if different things came up. I'm not nearly as stressed out about it as I was before.
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