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Post by pinky on Apr 10, 2008 15:24:55 GMT -4
I tried to brush something onto white paper. Nothing.
I took Fuzz to the vet this morning. We had to wait a while, but I got back here in time for my 11:30 class. Dr. Doolan looked at Fuzz and said that his teeth were indeed not growing evenly, and that it could be because of a molar problem. Just like with humans, if we have a molar problem, we won't chew on that side. The problem with hamsters is that their teeth need to be worn down, and so if he doesn't eat on both sides, one side's incisors will grow more than the other. This seems to be his problem. Anyway, one can't ascertain what's going on with his molars when he's awake. It's also difficult to get a look at the ear issue. Therefore, it was recommended that I leave him so that he could be gassed lightly (the vet said it's safe) and then examined. So that's what happened to him. I was a little nervous, but I hope this means that he is getting the treatment he needs. I have to go get him in an hour, and the vet will talk to me then. I hope it's good news.
More later.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 10, 2008 16:48:20 GMT -4
Best wishes.
You know Katie's Chewie has permanent teeth issues and seems to manage well on the soft food diet. I believe he does go in for regular clippings of the one remaining incisor.
Fuzz and Chewie--two lucky guys.
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Post by Hamsters82 on Apr 10, 2008 17:27:23 GMT -4
That's good that Fuzz is doing well and that his ear will be looked at thoroughly. I hope everything is okay, did the vet say what Fuzz has to do to get his molars evenly again? And is there any medication for his ear?
Regular clippings is an understatement, Chewie goes in every month. This month my Mom and I are going to try to look into his mouth ourselves cause he keeps on breaking them, but I did feel one so he'll go in some time this month. But Chewie isn't like what Fuzz has.
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Post by pinky on Apr 10, 2008 17:30:33 GMT -4
I love that vet. He is so nice and thorough and gentle. So Fuzz has an abnormality in his lower jaw. It causes his lower incisors to spread excessively (what I saw and asked about the other day). It is not clear how long he has had this. It may heal if he doesn't have to use his front teeth for a while. So he is stuck having soft food for the time being (3 weeks or so). He also had a sore in his mouth, probably from a sharp molar. The vet filed the sharp area and cut the incisors back. As for the ear, he said that there was an injury in the ear canal, from maybe a sharp nail? He thinks the hair loss has been from Fuzz bothering it. Fuzz now has two meds that I will give him, one an antibiotic (Baytril) and one a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. The antibiotic should help the sores heal; the NSAID is to see if maybe he has arthritis in his back and could benefit from some treatment there. (He runs now with his back arched, like Pinky did at age 3.5--I asked about that, and the kind man offered to give me the drug to try without charge.) $135, but I feel that Fuzz was well cared-for and will get better. At the worst, he gets soft food for the rest of his life. That is tricky if I want to leave him for a longer period of time, though. They'll board hamsters there--wonder how much it is. So that's the story. He is alert and fine and was very very hungry when I put him back in his cage. He inhaled the Mazuri mash.  |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 10, 2008 17:51:29 GMT -4
>> It causes his lower incisors to spread excessively (what I saw and asked about the other day). << I am still virtually certain all rodents have some scissor-like spreading of the lower incisors. I have seen this many times, and thought it odd the first time I saw it. Ask the vet if interested. Of course, be careful when administering Baytril if using a syringe or eye dropper. Those things scare me, based on past experience.  Maybe you could put it in food. *shrugs* "Mazuri mash". Sounds like a dance. LOL!! I just did a Search for "mazuri mash". . . and this was the ONLY hit I got: >> 1. Rodent Retreat - Help please! I gave Fuzz Mazuri mash last night and he ate ravenously--I'm thinking that he ... So it's Mazuri mash and other soft food till we see what happens Wednesday. ... kanez.proboards22.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&board=DH&... - 35k - Cached << That's us!! At least the Search bots have found RR! ;D What Mazuri Mash is remains a mystery, at least to me.  Glad Fuzz will be OK. The amount spent does not seem unreasonable. |
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Post by Hamsters82 on Apr 10, 2008 18:12:30 GMT -4
That's good that Fuzz is doing well. They can live off of soft foods, the only hard thing about that is that you have to find a variety of it.
The vet seems very nice to give you those medications without any charge (or one at least). So can you put the meds in the food bowl or do you have to pick him up and give it to him?
Don't most vets let hamsters stay there? Or you could have a friend watch him?
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 10, 2008 18:14:20 GMT -4
I am further investigating this "mazuri" stuff. . . www.mazuri.com/indexMazuri.aspwww.mazuri.com/Home.asp?Products=2&Opening=2>> Mazuri Hamster/Gerbil Diet (2.0 lb) - 5E10 New Stand Up Pouch! Qty: Price: $5.01 Mazuri Rat/Mouse Diet (2 lb) - 5E09 Qty: Price: $5.71 << How much is shipping? What is "mash"? That mix ground up and mixed in water?  Their GP image looks just like the deceased and very lamented Leslie.   |
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Post by pinky on Apr 10, 2008 18:27:09 GMT -4
Yes, they spread a bit normally, but his spread is something like 30 degrees from the vertical. The vet had seen this before in other patients and had tried to fix it surgically, with no luck, particularly in hamsters. He said that there was not enough soft tissue in that region to anchor any kind of repair, and that if anything the surgery made the animal worse.
I gave Baytril to Pinky via syringe for his prostate. It's only 0.02 mL--not enough to aspirate if given slowly.
I crush the Mazuri pellet and add a little water. On standing it becomes an easy-to-eat mash.
Most of the cost was for the "exotics" consultation. I wasn't charged for the anesthesia, though it was on the original estimate.
My landlords are home 8 months of the year, and they watch him usually. I suppose I could teach them how to make the soft food. If I smash Mazuri ahead of time, it's not hard.
The secretary of my department has come to my place in the past and taken care of him too.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 10, 2008 18:35:47 GMT -4
>> like 30 degrees from the vertical. << Whoa!!  NOT normal. I would say what I have seen was less than half that, tops. >> I gave Baytril to Pinky via syringe for his prostate << I take pumpkin seed, saw palmetto, and beta sitosterol for mine! ;D >> Mazuri pellet << It comes in a pellet? For hamsters, I assume. >> My landlords are home 8 months of the year, and they watch him usually. << My current (and previous) landlord is a slimy lying crook who can go straight to perdition. You are fortunate to have some you can trust. Glad Fuzz can be cared for. If I ever had to disappear for a long period of time it would be difficult--why I am trying to cut down through natural attrition. |
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Post by pinky on Apr 11, 2008 12:12:30 GMT -4
The pellets are cylindrical, about half an inch or a bit more long, and about a quarter inch in diameter. Brown. Crush them into bits and add water--voila!
Last night I pulverized some scrambled egg and added water, and man, he slurped that right up. But he is a known fan of egg.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 11, 2008 18:42:03 GMT -4
>> a known fan of egg. <<
Omellettes? I have served up many with melted cheese and broccoli, and sometimes peas. The rats love it too, even the females who are finnicky.
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Lillith Rose
Rodent Retreat Lover
sailor rainbow ...peace
Posts: 308
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Post by Lillith Rose on Apr 16, 2008 21:12:09 GMT -4
aww my thoughts go out to you and your little fuzz. i hope that little fuzz will recover from his little teeth and mite situation.
i used to raise several hamsters and when they got to be a certain age they did start losing their hair but due to old age and they never had mites or anything that bad happen to them.
all my hamsters except a small few lived to be 2 years old before passing away from old age. there were like 4 that had to be put down cause they were sold to me from petsmart in a sickly way and all had instestinal blockage and couldnt be fixed cause they were too small. but anyway i do hope that your fuzz gets better real soon *hugs*
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 16, 2008 23:57:58 GMT -4
I expect updates, but so far no news is good news!
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Post by pinky on Apr 17, 2008 17:56:31 GMT -4
Quickly: he is just a bundle of energy lately--hope none of these meds is making him hyper. He runs and runs in the ball and then more in the wheel. His appetite is good--Mazuri and mashed broccoli and cheese, and mashed oatmeal in the AM. The ear is no longer red. Teeth--not sure. I checked them and I saw the lower incisors flare a bit. But yes, he is doing well. And if he has to be on soft food forever, so be it. |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 17, 2008 19:35:16 GMT -4
The way my teeth are going that will make two of us!  Glad he is fine. |
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Maybe you could put it in food. *shrugs*
NOT normal. I would say what I have seen was less than half that, tops. 
~Jenn~"There are two means of refuge from the misery of life - music and cats."[/color]