Poor Tosca! I bet they'll be fine when she's healed up. Praying for a speedy recovery for this little sweetie!

krumm and yoda send love and speedy healing thoughts!

Update -

Tosca went to the vet last Tuesday. I was so proud of her. The vet couldnt believe how good she was. For the vet visit, wound cleaning, a shot of Convenia and some metcam - the total bill was $52.00. I know some of you are interested in pricing.

She got a shot of Convenia (antibiotic) and some oral metcam (for pain) as I asked for. Her wound looks so much better today. Its starting to scab and get smaller. She seems like she feels better. Last night, she was running in her wheel and playing with toys. She has been eating well.

She is still separated from Tilly, Weasel and Benji as I fear they would groom it open and make it worse. But Im going to try to put her back in the cage with them this week-end when I can watch them closely.

Thanks for the update Rita. So happy to hear Tosca is feeling well and doing better. Still praying for a speedy recovery.

Just curious. Did you ever figure out what happened?

I am glad that she is doing well. Thanks for updating!

quote:

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Originally posted by Goldwinger

Thanks for the update Rita. So happy to hear Tosca is feeling well and doing better. Still praying for a speedy recovery.

Just curious. Did you ever figure out what happened?

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No - I have no clue who bit her or why. My first guess would be maybe Benji was mating with her? But I can honestly say Ive never seen him do this with any of the girls in the 2 years he has been with them. I dont really know....

Oh My Rita, I don't know how I've missed this. I am sorry this has happened.

I hope that Tosca is healing more every day and can soon be reunited with her friends.

Thanks for the update. I hope everything ends up good for you. =)

So glad she's doing better!

Poor girl! I hope she heals soon so she can be back with her family. Im sure they were just trying to help by grooming her wound. Silly things! Good luck this weekend when you reunite them.

Tosca will be in my prayers that she heals up quickly. Please let us know she is doing.

I put Tilly in with Tosca again Friday evening. All went well and they spent the last two nights together in the hospital cage. Tosca was soooo happy to have one of her buddies with her.

Since she is healing very well - this morning I put the sleeping pouch Tilly and Tosca are in back in the big cage with Benji and Weasel. We shall see how it goes...

Hooray for buds, they make everything better ... I hope the other two do okay with Tosca, and her life can get back to normal.

Rita (you may know this, but I put it here for newbies), the neosporin is fine for a first aid application, but you can't keep putting it on every day. If you do, the flesh will not be able to granulate. Granulation is promoted by gentle washing with saline as you have indicated, but then tamping it dry with sterile gauze and letting air get to it (aids in the regeneration). that's one of the reasons several vets we have used for the (dozens) of mating wounds here advocate the use of honey after the first aid is over. In fact you can use honey in the beginning as a safe alternative. A teenie weenie dab of honey will melt and disperse easier than neosporin so the granulation can occur. This, of course is the procedure for an "open" wound such as a small dime-sized mating wound, that does not need stitches.

In extreme cases, a wet/dry bandage treatment can be used on an open wound where the wet bandage acts as a mesh on top of the wound to promote granulation. The dry on top just keeps debris out.

of course, when you get to the vet you will probably get an antibiotic and that will chase infection.

Please prepare yourself for possible disappointment regarding re-joining your little girl to her family:

1. No, don't try again to put her back in a few days. All evidence of the wound must be COMPLETELY gone before putting her back. When I say completely I mean it. Even if the wound heals-over but there is a little pinkish spot and a lack of fur - her family will "overgroom" that INSTANTLY and put her right back to square one. So don't put her back until you can't even tell something was wrong. Gliders pick at ANYTHING on their own bodies or others' that is even slightly abnormal.

If you put her back in a few days I guarantee they are going to go right for that spot again. And each time they go for that spot, it's like they are "imprinting" themselves each time to keep going after it. So you need to keep them separate for like a month and a half.

2. Give them ONE more chance after she is completely healed. If it happens ONE more time, our recommendation is that you never put her back with them. If it happens one more time, that means they are going to keep doing it. You may be forced to keep her alone or find another cage mate for her.

I am so sorry to have to tell you this. We unfortunately have a lot of experience with this problem. If you want to call to talk about it just let me know. there are some other tips that may be useful. We will pray for a full recovery for Tosca.

Rita - How is your baby doing. Is she all healed up?

The wound looks healed, but the scar looks pinkish and raised. There is no infection there - she is totally healed. Now, hopefully, her fur will grow back and cover the area so no one can see it.

I should have taken a picture of it, but I really suck at taking pictures. Her wound was pretty nasty.

Like Ed said, you clean the wound with either sterile saline solution or peroxide, dry the wound. If it isnt bleeding, then put neosporin on it until the glider can be taken to the vet. After the vet visit, dont put neosporin on the wound any longer. It has to have air, and time to heal and scab,

Tosca's wound took about 2 weeks to fully heal. I had to keep checking on her to make certain she was doing ok - eating, etc. And that none of the other gliders were bullying her. Tosca has always been very sweet, but also pretty standoffish with me, While she wasnt feel well, she wanted me to snuggle with her, It was the cutest thing ever, She was a very good patient - allowing me to do whatever needed to be done. I think she realized I was not trying to hurt her

yes she loves you and trusts you and knows you were trying to help her. bless her little heart. Yes now is a very important time, because she has a chance to be re-united after the fur grows back and it probably will since it was not a big wound. Fight the temptation to put her back until you can't really tell. Rita, you will have to be especially diligent in watching over her when you put her back, checking every hour or so if you can. If they go after her again, you'll probably want to cull her out for good. It has been our unfortunate experience that if a glider gets two back-to-back wounds, however small, that it just won't stop. We learned this with Trista, Ginger, Bonnie, Padme and many others. Their suffering at least has the benefit of acting as a warning for other gliders. That's why we say 2 strikes and you're out...

It is so enlightening and so excellent that you made this post. Checking often as you have recommended is one of the best and most simple ways to save the lives of these little gliders. Thanks so much for starting this thread.

Thank you for Update Rita. I'm so happy to hear she's doing well and getting better.

When I saw that other thread about the cat bite puncture I immediately thought about your baby and your post. As Ed said Thank You for making this thread.

You are both welcome!

Tosca's wound is almost covered with fur now. She is back in with the others and so far, all is well. But I do check her often just to make sure.

Yes! Thank goodness she is ok

Hooray for Tosca! And hooray for you, Rita, taking such good care of her through this. Love you, girl!

on a related note and to support what Rita says in the title of this post.... We found two gliders out of 94 this morning with medical issues. One with an abscess on its cheek and another with a weepy, swelled eye. Both went to the vet today... (Buny and Doc). There is a separate post called Another Abscess Warning about Bunny...

Just to update everyone on Tosca's neck wound:

She has been back with her glider mates for a few weeks now. Her wound is healed and the fur has almost totally grown back. The other gliders are leaving her wound site alone, thank God.

Soooo - it looks like all has ended well for little Miss Tosca.

Hurray! Joyous day!