So this is my first post and I'm a little upset so it might turn into kindof a rant. I recently, about a month ago, got 2 girls from a supposedly reputable breeder. I got a standard grey who I named Maisy and a white face who my sister named River. Both are around 15 weeks old. Per the contract, I took them to the vet within 3 days. Maisy had a bit of giardia, not much according to the vet, but enough to warrant some antibiotics. River was wheezy, which the vet didn't technically diagnose but she said the antibiotics would help clear up respiratory infections. I told the breeder what the vet said and he outright said she was wrong and the giardia was just pollen in the stool, even though he recommended this vet and she acknowledged seeing pollen. Being the person I am, I didn't really care to push for the $10 he owed me per the contract for treatment. The vet requested a follow up 2 weeks ago, which I went to, but a few days before the appointment I noticed something was wrong with River's right eye. It seemed to be grey, and based on other threads here I concluded it was a cataract. I did not say that to the vet but requested she look at River's eye. She agreed with me but was baffled at how such a young glider could have a cataract. And again the breeder refused to believe the vet.

Anyway, with all of that (not necessarily relevant) background, does anyone have any suggestions on how I can hopefully preserve her left eye? The vet said it was likely a genetic issue but possibly is a lack of vitamin A.

So sorry you're dealing with this, especially so early on when you should be enjoying your new baby girls!

I try to stay away from giving medical advice, but I can tell you what I would do if I was in your position. To be honest, something feels fishy to me about the breeder (and possibly the vet, who seems a bit unsure, but I may just be reading too much into it). I would want to search for an independent, qualified, exotic vet. I know it's an added expense, but getting a second opinion may go a long way in getting your gliders the best care and give you peace of mind. Wishing you all well and please keep us updated.

How do I know if I've found a qualified vet? The one I'm using is the only one I can find nearby and she knows most common issues but I don't know how to test her? I hate to say it like that but thats about what it boils down to.

I totally understand what you mean by "testing" your vet. We love our sweet babies and want them to get the best care. I actually had to change vets because I wasn't comfortable with the care my pets were getting. I had also heard from others that they had similar experiences. Sometimes it's something you observe during treatment like they're neglectful or not thorough enough. Other times it's just a feeling. The vet I go to now is twice the distance but 100% better. It is worth the trip and so reassuring to feel like my pets are being well cared for.

Word of mouth is a good way to find a qualified vet, asking around and learning about other peoples experiences. You can also check online for exotic vets and look at reviews. It's good to ask them questions, kind of like an interview. For instance....how familiar are they with gliders? How many do they care for? Are the vets and vet techs comfortable handling gliders? Do they have a hospital and are they set up for emergencies? Also, are they members of organizations like the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians? In my case, since I take my parrot to the same vet, it was important to me that the vet was a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians.

Here are some links that might help.......

www.sugargliderhelp.com/links/pages/Sugar_Glider_Vet_Database/index.html

www.vetective.com/

aemv.org/ (click on 'find an aemv vet')