Today was Ziggy and Skylers first vet visit, and Ziggy got neutered.. The vet clearly did not really like sugar gliders. He didn't know how to just be with them at all -_-. Well. I got called in, went in and the nurse was like, "Okay, the doctors in the middle of the surgery, so he will just call you on your cell when it is done." I was like okay...? Then went to my car thought about it and thought.. I want to be there for the wellness exam..? So I went in and said that. After waiting for a while they called me in into the surgery room, and they had my babies in a small plastic box and they were gassing them up! It was so hard to see =[ . Ziggy was flopping back and forth and vomiting and stuff =[. Then the vet grabbed Skyler out of the box looked at her real quick and said, "Okay they both look great" and put her into her pouch in my hands. I was like can you check out the fecals and stuff...? And his answer was, "Oh I don't really see that often in these types of animals". So they didn"t check any of that... -_-.

Then he grabbed Ziggy out of the gas box and put him on the table to put another space-man kinda helmet on him to gas him some more to prep him for his surgery. Then I was told to leave. I got called back in in about 15 minutes to be shown my baby limp in this doctors hands trying to fight him (pathetically because he was so out of it). I was asked about their diets.. and as soon as Ziggy got his energy back, he was thrown into the pouch (after he bit the doctor ) and I was off. He only charged me for the neuter (but I would have freaked if he charged me to just say "Well they look good!")

I got in the car and just kinda peeked in the pouch and noticed blood, so I went back in. The dr said it wasn't a lot of blood, not enough to worry about. So I was off. I opened the pouch and offered them both water. Skyler jumped out of the pouch and into the middle part of my car between the drivers and passengers seat! And DIDNT COME OUT. Ziggy was freaking out in the pouch (with the blood spot growing and making me gradually more on edge), and wouldnt calm down (PROBABLY BECAUSE HE WASNT GIVEN PAIN MEDS -_-). Skyler is inside my car. I broke down and just sobbed on the phone to my boyfriend for a while after spending an hour and a half in the car trying to get Skyler out. Ziggy was freaking more and more. I decided to drive home to get Ziggy into his cage because that was the only way to calm him down. He didnt want to be in the pouch anymore and there was no way in hell I was letting him out. The car was on when Skyler first went into the inside of my car, so I was just praying she was fine.

I got home. Got Ziggy into his cage, which calmed him down INSTANTLY. I knew that was all he needed. I was so worried because he was just freaking out, biting the pouch non-stop and running in circles. Poor Ziggy =[.

Now I was trying to break open my car to get Skyler out. I heard her, just couldnt get to her. So I got yogurt and after 2 more hours coaxed her out. The most screwed up part is she was acting like it was the best adventure of her life!

Most. Stressful. Day. Of. My. Life.

Moral of this super long (Sorry!) story= Never bring your glider to a vet with only a bonding pouch, especially if you are a sucker and open to check on them all of the time like me and especially if you are getting one neutered and one not..

All is well now (an hour after all of this crazyness ended). Skyler is chilling out with me as we speak in my hoodie.. and Ziggy is sleeping, I believe fine. Though I wish I could find him some pain meds . He was all perky before he went to sleep though so maybe he will be okay..

Wow, I'm tired just reading about your stressful day. So his incision closed up, right?

I'm sorry to hear of you ordeal, it sounds nerve-racking, and no one can blame you if you cried all day long. I hope your neutered boy heals quickly and doesn't suffer, and glad to hear everything else turned out ok eventually.

I'm am pretty sure it is. It isn't bleeding. It kinda looks like he went through a massacre because his fur is blood stained, but I believe the surgical glue is holding up, and like I said he was cheery like normal..

I guess we will see tonight..

THEY GASSED YOUR GIRL FOR A WELLNESS EXAM???!!!!!

That is ridiculous! Those poor babies are probably traumatized. I would definately be looking at a new vet.

I just took the twins in for their first vet visit & to have her explain her neuter procedure for Caci. (last Thurs.) She will do it but she was up front with me and explained that her last 2 boys that she neutered went after their incisions. She said the one slipped right out of this collar upon waking from the happy gas and opened himself back up within 3 seconds flat!

So she gave me the names of some vets in Nashville that do laser neuters. She said she'd just feel better knowing he was safe. (she doesn't have access to a laser)

Of course I want her to do it but not at the risk of him opening himself up, and I greatly appreciated her being up front with me...that's money she's not going to get from me...she could have easily just sugar coated it for me and taken my cash but she didn't.


I don't know how you refrained from screaming your head off and grabbing your babies and going home! I would have lost my mind had I seen one of them thrashing around and vomiting! I wouldn't be welcome back at that vets' office ever again...not that I would go! Those poor babies.

I would look for a vet with more knowledge/experience of sugar gliders for next time. It doesn't seem like he really knew what he was doing if he didn't give any sort of pain medication... Make sure you keep an eye on your boy to make sure he doesn't start self mutilating the surgery site, I have heard this is more likely in gliders who aren't given pain medication after surgery. Hoping for the best for you and your babies!

OMG - that is a terrible day!!!!! Yeah, I don't think I would have been able to keep my mouth shut either - it sounds like he had no idea what he was doing at all.
I would actually suggest you start making calls to find another vet right this moment. God forbid he ends up ripping the incission or is in pain - I don't want to see you have to scramble in a panic later on tonight. When you make those calls please as about "after hours" in case of an emergency.
Hope the little man does fine tho:)

He only mildly gassed Skyler. I was freaking. I didnt even think to grab them out of there. I was like UMM HES THROWING UP. THAT DOESNT LOOK GOOD. I think he needed the gas in order to feel comfortable with the gliders! The only reason I went there was because he was on all the glider approved vet lists! I'm going to definitely review my visit on some sites.

Skyler is definitely fine. Her adventure made her forget the vet I feel like. lol. Ziggy I am worried about =[. Can I go to a vet by me and ask for some pain meds for him? I'd like him to have them. The vet who did it was like "I've done at least 20 sugar glider neuters and none of them had any issues".

Well I'm glad to know he hasn't had any issues but there's a first time for everything. Can you call him & just explain you'd feel better with a bit of pain meds? Afterall, it's just more money he'll get out of you!

Was it a pom on or pom off neuter? I don't know if another vet will give you meds without seeing him, but maybe they will work with you if you make some calls and explain what you went thru today. I'm in still in shock after reading that stuff - unbelievable:(

I asked several times in the office so I don't think he will. I don't want to put ziggy through seeing someone else though either. Pom off though..

I'm so sorry you've had this experience, & so sorry for your boy.

He sounds like one of those vets that does things HIS way and some lowly patient isn't gonna tell him how to do his job!

Yeah, I'd be doing a new vet search. And yes, I searched vets on here & there is one on here for my area but when I did additional searches, found that she got really bad reviews. Needless to say I haven't gone to her.

Oh my gosh! Why did they both need to be sedated????? Only one of them was getting surgery. Watching them squirm and vomit?? That sounds SO awful. I'm so terribly sorry you had to have that experience. I wish Ziggy a speedy recovery though.

wow. I am so torn about whether I should cry or want to throw something at that vet! I am really happy they are ok for now. Maybe I missed this in the thread, but were you eventually able to get some pain meds for your babies? It's soo important. Maybe a vet in your area can prescribe them even if he doesn't treat gliders if he consults with one of the glider vets listed?
Mine were actually recently neutered and the first night I caught Troop poking his wound and then there was blood and i had to wait until morning to get him into the vet. I cried almost all night I was so scared and frusturated.
I think this story really shows how much you love your little ones though :)Good luck with your babies and the recovery. Keep us updated!!

I did not get pain meds for him. I am very nervous for tonight though. It was a long day, and I'm nervous that after I pass out he might open his surgical glue. =[ . Can I crush up some of a ibuprofen and mix it with his food?? or give him the gel out of an advil migrane pill? Lol I was sorta joking (unless I really can do it then I totally will).

How long is a regular recovery for a neuter normally? I didn't think to ask the vet. They aren't awake yet, but I kinda figured they were going to sleep later than normal because they were up a lot of the day. I don't want to wake Ziggy up. I tried waking Skyler up and that didn't work. lol.

I will keep you guys all posted.

Oh and if anyone knows about the people pain killers for glider then please let me know either way. Now that I think about it it doesnt sound all that dumb.. but I wouldn't just do it without knowing for sure its ok either obviously..

You might want to contact Val on that one. I can't imagine them not giving pain meds. Vet switch.

I hope you got I touch with Val about pain meds.
What a wretched day!!! I think the vet would of needed pain meds if that'd been me there....
PLEASE leave a review so others know what this guy is like. So sorry you had to go through this. I hope you find a new vet close enough to you.

OK...just to calm your fears a bit...I have had hundreds of neuters done and they are all pom off and I haven't had ANY SMs. I generally don't use pain meds unless I see the glider is in real pain. I know that isn't how most people do it but most of the time pain meds are not necessary and most gliders do just fine. I just don't want you to panic because you don't have them.
I'm sorry your vet was such a jerk but Ziggy should be fine. Keep an eye on him (set an alarm for every couple of hours just in case to check on him) but he really should be just fine.

That is a great idea with the alarms. I'm going to definitely do that. And thank you for telling me that. And I just saw something in the gliderpedia about painkillers not always being given for neuters too.. That just sounds horrible to me though, they just got something cut off, they are more than likely in pain, no?

The all-knowing Google says NO to any people pain killers for them-- advil, tylenol, ibuprofen, etc. Thought I'd share that info with everyone lol.

The vet's name was Dr. Lawrence Wolf in Willingboro, NJ FYI .. I intend on writing reviews, especially since the only ones I read were positive -_-. Those people must not have been invited into the surgery room..?

I'll give an update tomorrow morning all! Thanks for all the support x3

I lied here is the update. Ziggy keeps trying to clean himself because his fur got gross today. I can't tell if he is picking at the surgical glue or if it is him just wanting to be clean. Ugh. Definitely not sleeping well tonight.

He is very friendly tonight though. I've only had them for two weeks and both of them today (after all that happened) wanted to crawl around inside my sweat shirt and on me. That surprised me.. they havent done that all that much, only a handful of times each, and Ziggy hasn't done it as much as Skyler. I was sure they were going to hate me for bringing them to that horrible traumatizing place.

Ok real update tomorrow morning. Lets hope he doesn't pick at it =/

there is a different movement that he will make when he is cleaning vs. pulling at the wound. If he is pulling his head away from the site rather than up and down (kind of like the movement a dog or cat makes when its licking its fur) then he is pulling at the wound and you need to stop him.
they probably see you as the rescuer. Im pretty sure thats what mine thought. they were so sweet to me when I brought them home and the whole experience seemed to help us bond because all of a sudden I think I was their protector

Thought about you this morning - hoping your night was uneventful!!!
:)

Thanks magdals I don't think I did see him pull at it, but I will look for that :).

Last night went okay I didn't notice any bleeding or anything.. Hopefully tonight goes well, then I'll relax a little. Lol thanks Renee :)

The fast track finally came in too, so they get their wheel tonight, they're Gunna be so happy! :)

Hope Ziggy is still doing well.

That vet is SO Horrible!! Those poor babies! I'm so glad ziggy was fine last night. Keep us posted. I'll pray all goes well and turns out well.<3

~Erica~

So glad everything is going good, had mine neutered today so I'm in for the sleepless night tonight. Loved the alarm clock idea.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Skyler_and_Ziggy</i>
<br />. I think he needed the gas in order to feel comfortable with the gliders!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Then, by all means, let him gas HIMSELF, NOT the gliders!

I'm soooo sorry you had such an awful experience. I took our 3 babies to a new vet last month for their first check up. Not only was I in the room the whole time (for my glider), so we're my 2 daughters (15 & 18), who own a glider each, and my hubby - as moral support and escape-recovery-expert. We had just gotten the gliders and were not sure how they would behave and we were not familiar with the doctor. Well, not only did she (Dr) not object to our crowd being in the exam room but she was super gentle, especially with Peanut, since my 18-y.o. was cringing at every little squirm Peanut made (new-momma nerves; she almost cried!).

I lived in NJ for many years and still have family there. My brother lives in Clementon and has had many exotics. He's also very
picky when it comes to doctors & vets. I'll ask him if he knows of a exotic vet in Woodbury and pass the info along.

Irene

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Skyler_and_Ziggy</i>
<br />. I think he needed the gas in order to feel comfortable with the gliders!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Then, by all means, let him gas HIMSELF, NOT the gliders!

I'm soooo sorry you had such an awful experience. I took our 3 babies to a new vet last month for their first check up. Not only was I in the room the whole time (for my glider), so we're my 2 daughters (15 & 18), who own a glider each, and my hubby - as moral support and escape-recovery-expert. We had just gotten the gliders and were not sure how they would behave and we were not familiar with the doctor. Well, not only did she (Dr) not object to our crowd being in the exam room but she was super gentle, especially with Peanut, since my 18-y.o. was cringing at every little squirm Peanut made (new-momma nerves; she almost cried!).

I lived in NJ for many years and still have family there. My brother lives in Clementon and has had many exotics. He's also very
picky when it comes to doctors & vets. I'll ask him if he knows of a exotic vet in Woodbury and pass the info along.

Irene

How's your guy doing tonight?

Primo works I actually live in brick, so the closer to the shore the better for me :) I appreciate you asking!

They are fine so far. His incision area doesn't look good, but I don't think it has opened because I haven't noticed any bleeding. He won't let me stare at it really either though. Lol I think I'm over worrying with them :) . I hope at least..