I have had my glider babies since they were very little, and couldn't love an animal more. They are now 12 and 10.5, one is very lively but my oldest had started to decline in health.

One week ago today, I came home after work and got them their food, but found that my 12 year old glider had his eye swollen shut. I wanted to take him to emergency care right away, but I called the clinic and they said it'd be better to wait until morning because the vet in office had very little glider experience. I consulted a friend who was a vet and she said that if he was eating normally, he was probably fine until morning. Of course I did my research as a good mamma should and figured it was probably an abscess caused by a tooth infection.

I got him to the exotic vet the next day and the vet suspected an abscess as well. Keep in mind that his eye started to ooze since last night and looked significantly worse. She took him back to get a biopsy and look under the microscope, diagnosed him with an abscess. She told me that he needed surgery to drain and remove the abscess, but might need to take his eye in the process if it is involved. She sent me home with 2 antibiotics and an anti inflammatory to think about getting the surgery. There is a very good chance that after his surgery, he will get an infection because of the type of animal they are, his age and immune system, and the fact that they will have to keep the wound open after surgery.

The only way to ensure his antibiotic eye drops will get to his eye is if I clean away the goop, but even if I do it very gently, around his eye gets very red and I'm afraid it will cause the abscess to rupture causing him to go septic.

My baby is in pain and very uncomfortable right now, starting to lose weight and sleeps all day and night. He has also started to self-mutilate and the antibiotics don't seem to be working either. If we decide on surgery, he will be in more pain for a longer amount of time and the abscess may come back. I hate to see him suffer and want to know whats best for him. Even with all of this, he is 12 years old and likely won't live much longer. Is the most humane thing euthanasia? I need advice from the glider community. What do I do?

Most abscesses don't require the eye to be removed, the swelling typically goes down after 3 or 4 days of antibiotics.... however sometimes the eye does need removed.

A friend of mine just went through this with one of hers she will be able to help you way more than I can and guide your through the cleaning and after care she has had to do...you can message her on facebook n just tell her Carla sent you here's her link https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004843098345

Weight loss and sleeping more is normal when they are dealing with an infection I wouldn't worry to much about that.

Is he separated from his cagemate?

how is he self mutilating?

Putting him down is a very hard and personal and most unselfish decision your going to have to make yourself.

There is no one here that knows him like you do and there is no one here that is there to see how the procedure goes for him but you.

All I CAN say about that is gliders have had it done before and recovered easily and went on to live and thrive with a good quality of life. However, he is getting up there in age which increases the risk of him not waking up from anesthesia, the older they are the more risky it is to put them under, that would be my biggest concern if he were mine. I hate that you have to make this call, it is hard believe me I know first hand but I would talk to Denise before you make any final decisions, she not only has experience with eye removals but also older gliders and self mutilators, she has a wealth of knowledge and experience you couldn't be in better hands with her.

Leela, thank you so much for your reply. I have never dealt with either of them sick and I'm not really sure what is normal for them. He has had antibiotics for a week as of today and it doesn't seem to be doing anything to better the infection. The abscess hasn't gotten any bigger but it most definitely hasn't gotten any smaller.

In regards to the mutilation, I have had him out quite a bit more than normal for both love and warmth (he sleeps the entire time), but its hard to have him and his brother out together because his brother is so much more active, as soon as he knows he is out of the cage, he will only run around. When they are in the cage however, they are not separated in the slightest. Nothing has changed in that regard. He has started to have hair missing from his chest, which has never happened before.

Thank you so much for your input and compassion, I will definitely contact your friend for my baby.

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Originally posted by Leela

Most abscesses don't require the eye to be removed, the swelling typically goes down after 3 or 4 days of antibiotics.... however sometimes the eye does need removed.

A friend of mine just went through this with one of hers she will be able to help you way more than I can and guide your through the cleaning and after care she has had to do...you can message her on facebook n just tell her Carla sent you here's her link https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004843098345

Weight loss and sleeping more is normal when they are dealing with an infection I wouldn't worry to much about that.

Is he separated from his cagemate?

how is he self mutilating?

Putting him down is a very hard and personal and most unselfish decision your going to have to make yourself.

There is no one here that knows him like you do and there is no one here that is there to see how the procedure goes for him but you.

All I CAN say about that is gliders have had it done before and recovered easily and went on to live and thrive with a good quality of life. However, he is getting up there in age which increases the risk of him not waking up from anesthesia, the older they are the more risky it is to put them under, that would be my biggest concern if he were mine. I hate that you have to make this call, it is hard believe me I know first hand but I would talk to Denise before you make any final decisions, she not only has experience with eye removals but also older gliders and self mutilators, she has a wealth of knowledge and experience you couldn't be in better hands with her.

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