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Metal in a mouse...My Poor Festivus

Thanx Wade :)

And Nanci, I am so relieved....I have been afraid all day that I would find him dead when I get home tonight...
 
Here's some reassurance for you, Beth. I just did a study where we put a tube larger than Festie's tube (8fr) down into a baby's stomach, drew it slowly back up the esophagus while injecting barium, then back into the stomach. My student was asked to withdraw the barium by syringing it out. The pediatric radiologist of 30+ years told him "Don't worry, you're not going to do a mucosal (stomach lining) biopsy- it's not possible."
 
My goodness, I just saw this!! Where have I been?
Thank you Nanci SO MUCH!!
You are so reassuring....

He's acting normally, but still has a big wound on the side of his neck and is oddly shaped where his head and neck meet. I will try to get another picture up within the next few days.
If he's too damaged to eat after all this....well, I guess we cross THAT particular bridge when we come to it!
 
Beth there are so many people wishing the best for you and Festivus.

I know we have a thread singing her praises, but Nanci is just amazing!
 
I know Rich, just another reason this place is my home...I love the people here.
And don't get me started on Nanci.....she is the MOST amazing, thoughtful, considerate, wonderful, helpful, generous, giving, incredible....well, I think you get the idea!
 
I've been offline for the weekend. I'm glad to hear that the tubing went well. It's got to be so much less stressful, and I know that will help Festivus heal. Keep us posted!
 
Very small update

He's blue now and should be shedding soon.
I hope it helps him feel better.
He's still on the antibiotics, the vet said to keep him on them for about 3 weeks, but Thursday is day 19 and I'm thinking of stopping it then. No sign of infection but the side where the biggest incision is looks kind of squished and flattened, and there is a bulge on the top of his neck. This scares me, but was there when he went for his recheck and the vet didn't seem to think it's a problem.
I offered him food Saturday night, a thawed tiny pink, but again he ignored it.
I'm hoping that after he sheds and is off the antibiotics he will feel like eating.
After he gets dosed he very very very restless and agitated....I hope dosing doesn't hurt him.
Also, I had not seen his tongue since the accident. But yesterday I noticed the tip of his tongue outside his mouth. Not flicking, just hanging out there. If his tongue is injured I don't know if he can eat.....
He's also hanging out in the front of his cage now, instead of hiding. Before this happened he hung out at the front of his cage all the time, that at least makes me feel better anyway...

It sounds heartless to say this, but finding him dead would have been easier. I would have cried for weeks..., with the way this happened I know he suffered terribly and it's still not clear if he will make it.
Seeing my beautiful always-hungry boy like this is killing me.....
 
*Hugs* Beth. I know exactly what you mean - it doesn't sound heartless. It's hard to see something you love miserable, and you be unable to make it better NOW.

Keep thinking hopeful thoughts. If he's going blue, maybe that's why he refused the last offering. If he's hanging out where he used to, maybe that is a sign that he is feeling better. It takes time to heal; having been through major surgeries myself, I know that firsthand. I've read that snakes have a metabolic rate about 20% of ours, so that means it will take much longer for Festivus to feel better than it would for a human in the same situation.

We're all pulling for him - and for you. Love and prayers are coming your way.
 
I don't think his tongue has anything to do with eating. He swallows by walking his jaws up the mouse.

I bet he refused because he was blue. Lila just did that to me- I thought she was blue because she stayed in hiding, but she never shed, so then I thought I was wrong, so I took her out yesterday and she wasn't blue, so I tried to feed her, and even teased her, and she'd follow the mouse around but wouldn't strike. Fine- don't eat then. This morning I found a shed.
 
The thing that scares me is that he's never refused in blue before.
Not one refusal since I got him in February.

What I meant about the tongue, is that they use their tongues to "smell"...so if he can't smell dinner, is he less apt to eat?
 
Well, I remember reading a thread about a snake's tongue that got infected and fell off, and the snake was fine, and still ate and lived.

I hope Festivus is going to get better... sorry you have to go through all this.
 
And I know plenty of pigeons whose tongues and even lower beaks have fallen off due to canker, that are still fine and eating! Animals adapt, and they don't feel sorry for themselves.
 
And you knows your pigeons!!! ((HUGS))

I'm trying so hard to stay cheerful, but since this all happened, the grey ratio on my head is growing!
 
I'm sure he will eat for you soon! I know of a burm that lives 10mins from me that lost the end of his tounge and it grew back. Give him a big hug for me, and have one for yourself too *HUG*
 
Hey, come on Beth, you and Festivus have come this far, the fact that he's hanging out where he used to would seem like a good sign to me too :)

Keep your chin up, I'm sending lots of healing vibes your way for Festivus and a couple of special hugs for you (((Beth))) (((Beth))) ;)
 
You guys are AMAZING! Your words do alot to quell the sick feeling in my stomach when I think of my poor guy...
Thanks so much!!
 
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