I don't know what to do...please help

[PDseverywhere]

I'm new to this site...and I have two P.D.'s...I have had my male for 4yrs now and my little female for about 3yrs.
A couple of weeks ago...I noticed that male was sounding funny when I was petting him and holding him. So, I made an appointment with my local vet. (who by the way is not PD experienced but bends over backwards in cases like this) Being that my male is so territorial...my vet was not able to listen to my male. So, while the vet was listening to the female...we both could hear the male coughing, and breathing funny.
So, I placed the female back in the cage with her buddy...the vet told me that they would have to get on the phone with the university of Florida to find out what to give both of them for this infection.
Well, a few hours later, my vet called me and told me to come back to her office, because she had the medicine there and the university told her that it would be ok to give to the P.D.'s.

Well, now here is what's happened so far....even though both of the P.D.'s have been treated, my male has seem to gotten worse. He has started to sneeze, devolped a swollen cheek...under his eye...and what looks like bloody crust around his nose, he is still eating and is a little overweight.
I have not noticed any blood in their cage...and yes, eating habbits and there cage enviroment has changed big time.
Reason why it has changed? I let my sister take care of my babies while I was pregnaunt and going threw a divorce. Being that my sister lives over 4hrs away....I was not able to see how she was taking care of them. She never cleaned out the cage..all the time that she had them and feed them dogfood as well...
PLEASE DO NOT GET MAD AT ME OR MY SISTER
She feed them dogfood because someone had told her that is what to feed them, when I did tell her what to feed them. And she has mentioned to me the reason why she didn't clean out there cage was, because 1...they were outside...and 2...she was affrid that they would bite her.

Well, i'm worried and scared that my male P.D. will cross over the rainbow bridge. I live in a small town in Florida and with me working 7days at two jobs and a single mother of 3children...going out of town is going to take a huge toll on me. Yes, I know the main rule about having these furry babies...but, this time, I have no idea of what to do....if they were sugargliders' I don't think that I would be asking this question at all.
But, please someone lend a helping hand and help me try to help my vet with something for my male...My family and I love him so much, that it will kill us to loose him....
(shoot...when I'm home by myself, because my children are at their father's house...both of the P.D.'s will sleep with me in my bed...I can't loose my pillow partner)

Thank you in advance for all the help and support.

[SwC]

Sounds like you need some help ASAP!! How far is Arcadia from Daytona Beach area? We have 2 different vets here who are very experienced with PD's and surprisingly there are quite a few PD mommy's around here willing to help anyway we can. It could very possibly be Odentoma which is very common in captive PD's and treatment can be very difficult. Also the concern with the swelling around the eye as they can also get absesses particularly in thier gum areas. Sounds as you have had a great deal of difficulty and things do happen so dont blame yourself as I also have pd's and even though very experienced in thier diet, ect they can still become ill very quickly. If you would like I would be happy to talk with you and also give you some contacts of those persons with a great deal of experience that may be helpful. I can email you either my phone # or I could call you which ever you prefer. Private message me. Do you have any Critical Care on hand? If not ask you vet to order you some immediately as this will help with his nutritional needs. Also you can get a great deal of information at http://www.prairiedoglover.com/index.htm which is very active and with many who have gone through very similar crisis as you are now willing to give lots of support. The owner of that site will also do anything she can to give assistance and put you in contact with the right medical information. Also at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/LUV-R-PDS/

These are 2 very active forums. Hopefully PDJenn will notice this as she has a great deal of info to offer also. Again I will be happy to call and give you some info as it can be a great deal. I also have lost one of my furbabies to odentoma and now dealing with another who has an upper respiratory problem and praying it's not odentoma. Hopefully my other surviving baby continues to do well as these little guys and gals grab your heart and dont let go.

[SwC]

Also I looked on the map to where you are. There are good PD vets I believe in the Sarasota area. Autumn would be the one to talk to regarding vets in that area. She has a big crew and her's are exceptionally healthy PD's. I sent my # via private message so feel free to call.

[TortieBaby]

What's a PD???

[millie121]

Quote: Originally Posted by TortieBaby What's a PD???

Prairie Dog

[TortieBaby]

Oooooooohhhhhh... Heehee, I knew that.

[PDseverywhere]

Thank you so much everyone for all the help thus far....I'm willing to do anything for this little guy..even though people look at me strange when we tell them that his name is Julie lol. Thought he was a she, till he went into rut for the first time.

Being that I'm still new to this site...I'm finding it a little hard to find my way around here...but, I know that I'll get used to it.
Daytona is about a 4hr drive from here...(used to skip school and go to Daytona when I lived in Ocala lol)...but, Sarasota is about a hour away, depending on where the vet is located.

I will take a look at those links that you provided and see what I can do....I'll also, give this information to my vet as well, in hopes that they may be able to find something out as well..

[SwC]

I'll try to give you a call tomarrow afternoon as I also have a vet appt for TT myself here with Dr. Salzburg. Also further in the PD forum there is a contact listed and I dont think she would mind if I post it again. She is the expert on PD's and has been available to many pd owners and vets when needed. I know PDJenn here highly recommends Gena also. I have also contacted her before myself and she's full of information that your vet and you can use. Maybe have your vet give her a call as she specializes in PD's. She's good to respond to emails also.
Gena Seaberg
Consultant for Prairie Dog Care Domestically and Abroad Since 1995
2023 Adams Avenue
Everett, WA 98203
425.265.0818 office
425.870.1729 cell
kato@spro.net

[PDseverywhere]

After looking at those links that you gave to me to look at, and others', I'm scared that Juile is effected by "Odontoma" he has all the signs and the pictures of the effected PD looks just like his little face. I'm soooo sad about this and even more concerned than ever!!
I'm going to see my vet on Thursday with all the information on odontoma....I remember when we first got Julie, he would always bite on his cage...and he thought that he was letting us know that he wanted out...so, out he came. Plus, when strangers' would come to the house, he would go nuts bitting his cage wanting to get out. The first site that you listed said that Odontoma could be caused from them bitting there cages.
I just pray now that this is not what is effecting my PD Julie.

[Puttin510]

Hope your PD's are ok. I did not know what pd meant too. I thought maybe Portugese water dog.

[PDseverywhere]

Well, I will be seeing my vet on Thrusday...in hopes that we both can figure out something. I talked with SwC this afternoon and she gave me several numbers' and told me of a few things to try here at the house as well.

I just hope that this doesn't cost me to much money. Being a single mom i'm barley making it as it is. I know the main RULE to having any pet...but, like I stated before....I was married and my husband (at the time) made enough money to take care of all the vet bills....now, he is gone and I still have the furrybabies.

If someone who has gone threw this...please let me know about how much i'm probally looking at spending? Julie is our first PD and we love him so much....I remember my son yelling for him running threw the house," jew wee " and then Juile would bark back at him....kinda like a hide and seek game. I don't know what we would do, if we lost him.

[SwC]

Just an update as I was informed by PDseverywhere that Julie crossed the Rainbow bridge sadly. She is giving extra attention to her other little lady remaining at home. Renal failure and heart failure were the primary causes according to the vet. Please say a little prayer for Julie.

[Puttin510]

Awe thats so sad. (((((HUGS))))))

[Dallas]

Hopefully the little guy will be ok. Odentoma is awful!

I also have 3 prairie dogs, and thankfully all have been healthy. They turned 6 this year, and we adore them.

A humidifier may also help with his breathing, and if he has trouble eating, you can syring feed him Oxbow Critical Care.

[SwC]

Well as I post previously Julie has crossed the Rainbow Bridge and she has 1 remaining PD in her home. I talked with her at length on the phone regarding things she could do to ease his symptoms such as humidifier, coral calcium, triaminic, Critical Care reciepes,goats milk, etc and most importantly Gena's contact info. She has also now found a good vet with experience for her remaining little gal. It was very obvious how much she loves her PD's (as most of us do who are "owned" by one or more lol. So say a little prayer for her remaining little girl that she lives a long and healthy life. It's just very painful as you know to lose one of these little ones since they tend to make such a dramatic mark in our lives once you have the priviledge of having one as part of your family.