Giftee's Mom
08-26-2012, 09:04 AM
Long time no see, TSB! Good to be back.
I've not posted for a couple of years now since Giftee passed away, but right as he passed, another baby sq came into my life. She is Miss Coco, and she is quite ill with odontoma, one of which is massive. She is about four years old.
Saw the vet yesterday, went over the xrays, but with the size of this odontoma, he says it would be hell for her and very painful to remove, and even then he's not sure he could get it all as it may have fused with her skull.
He said for now, I can use steroid nose drops to alleviate swelling and a nebulizer to open her up airways better. Well, the nose drops thing is not going well; she has already figured out if she hides in her box, I can't get her to instill the drops. Anyway, from what I saw after the initial application of the drops last night, they didn't seem to help that much. Maybe a little, if any.
Do they ever get used to nose drops and the like? I have to wrap her in a towel with just her little head sticking out and put them in that way. She hates it and hasn't come out of her box all morning, which is unusual. She knows I will get her for more drops, bless her heart. I can barely stand i!
I am wrestling with myself over this. I'm afraid this little girl is suffering trying to breathe. It must be awful for her, trying to constantly catch her breath, like she's breathing thru a straw or something. She makes that "honking" sound when she gets stressed or overly excited, and at times, will even have to open-mouth breathe, which, since squirrels are obligate nasal breathers, seems to really stress her out, and me, too. She sounds like Squarlet did. It's so awful to have to listen to it all day, all night. It hurts my heart so much, but that's nothing compared to what she's going thru, I know.
Everyone here has glowing reviews of Dr. Dan. Have any of you had a sq with a really large odontoma that was successfully removed, and if so, how hard was it on the baby? I am simply thinking of her, not the money or anything else. I will spend what I need to to help my girl.
Of course, I'm thinking of euthanasia. I'm devastated. This is the sweetest little girl squirrel ever. She has NEVER bitten or scratched me, loves to be rubbed and scratched on her back and face, but now is afraid when her mommie comes to her cage, afraid of those nose drops again.
But I wanted to ask you guys what you really think of the odontoma removal procedure and if it's as horrible for the squirrel as my vet said it was. He did say that if I made the decision to have her PTS that he would try to go in and shave down the odontoma as much as he could, going in thru the gums instead of peeling back the roof of her mouth, but warned me due to the size of the odontoma, she may not make it thru the surgery.
Dear Jesus, please help my squirrel. I desperately need your guidance!
A very sincere "thank you" to all who respond.
Susan
I've not posted for a couple of years now since Giftee passed away, but right as he passed, another baby sq came into my life. She is Miss Coco, and she is quite ill with odontoma, one of which is massive. She is about four years old.
Saw the vet yesterday, went over the xrays, but with the size of this odontoma, he says it would be hell for her and very painful to remove, and even then he's not sure he could get it all as it may have fused with her skull.
He said for now, I can use steroid nose drops to alleviate swelling and a nebulizer to open her up airways better. Well, the nose drops thing is not going well; she has already figured out if she hides in her box, I can't get her to instill the drops. Anyway, from what I saw after the initial application of the drops last night, they didn't seem to help that much. Maybe a little, if any.
Do they ever get used to nose drops and the like? I have to wrap her in a towel with just her little head sticking out and put them in that way. She hates it and hasn't come out of her box all morning, which is unusual. She knows I will get her for more drops, bless her heart. I can barely stand i!
I am wrestling with myself over this. I'm afraid this little girl is suffering trying to breathe. It must be awful for her, trying to constantly catch her breath, like she's breathing thru a straw or something. She makes that "honking" sound when she gets stressed or overly excited, and at times, will even have to open-mouth breathe, which, since squirrels are obligate nasal breathers, seems to really stress her out, and me, too. She sounds like Squarlet did. It's so awful to have to listen to it all day, all night. It hurts my heart so much, but that's nothing compared to what she's going thru, I know.
Everyone here has glowing reviews of Dr. Dan. Have any of you had a sq with a really large odontoma that was successfully removed, and if so, how hard was it on the baby? I am simply thinking of her, not the money or anything else. I will spend what I need to to help my girl.
Of course, I'm thinking of euthanasia. I'm devastated. This is the sweetest little girl squirrel ever. She has NEVER bitten or scratched me, loves to be rubbed and scratched on her back and face, but now is afraid when her mommie comes to her cage, afraid of those nose drops again.
But I wanted to ask you guys what you really think of the odontoma removal procedure and if it's as horrible for the squirrel as my vet said it was. He did say that if I made the decision to have her PTS that he would try to go in and shave down the odontoma as much as he could, going in thru the gums instead of peeling back the roof of her mouth, but warned me due to the size of the odontoma, she may not make it thru the surgery.
Dear Jesus, please help my squirrel. I desperately need your guidance!
A very sincere "thank you" to all who respond.
Susan