Arm Amputation W/ MRSA!?!

Does anyone here have experience working with Gliders with arm amputations? My veterinarian wanted to put my little girl to sleep but I would like to think that she could still be a happy, healthy Glider without her arm. Does anyone have experience with this? What do I have to do to accommodate her?

Anyone have experience with MRSA? The infection she received had spread which is why she needs the amputation. My veterinarian keeps insisting that Penicillin treats MRSA but that can't be true - it says in the name... METHICILLIN - RESISTANT, no?

Thanks!

SugarShock wrote:

Does anyone here have experience working with Gliders with arm amputations? My veterinarian wanted to put my little girl to sleep but I would like to think that she could still be a happy, healthy Glider without her arm. Does anyone have experience with this? What do I have to do to accommodate her?

There is an entire section here for amputations.
https://thesweetspot.forumotion.net/f8-amputation
(Although you posted in the Amputation section, so you already knew it was there. I guess you didn't have time to read and find the answers to these questions?)

Quote :

Anyone have experience with MRSA? The infection she received had spread which is why she needs the amputation. My veterinarian keeps insisting that Penicillin treats MRSA but that can't be true - it says in the name... METHICILLIN - RESISTANT, no?

There is also a section for infections here on TSS.
MRSA can be treated with antibiotics. A culture and sensitivity will tell you which one(s) will be effective. In many cases, it depends where the infection is (which tissues). If your vet is not familiar with drug use in gliders, he/she can contact any of the vets on the vet-to-vet contact list.

You reported an issue with MRSA in one of your gliders back in May of 2012. Is this the same glider? And, since you have already had the issue once, why are you and your vet unfamiliar with the treatment for it?
If this is NOT the same glider, then I would consider that there is an issue in your home whereby this bacteria is being spread.

Lauren, you described the situation much differently in your post on the Sugar Glider Neighborhood on Mar 4.

Quote :

Sheila received a very small, very minor bite wound from my other Glider, Bindi (the same Glider who had bitten Stella several months ago, when she became horribly infected with MRSA). When I first noticed the bite, there was no open wound, no blood, just a little mark. I separated Sheila from her cage mate, Bandit, and placed her in a hospital cage with an e - collar. Within several hours, Sheila managed to horribly mutilate the initial injury (which was to her left, front paw).

She had mutilated herself to the point where bone was visibly sticking through the wound, I immediately sent an image to my veterinarian who diagnosed her as having an "open fracture." I soaked her arm in Epsom Salt and dressed a bandage with salt water, soothe cream (painkiller) and Vetericyn (antibiotic) before applying it and wrapping her arm up. I gave her a dose of Baytril (antibiotic), Gabapentin (painkiller) and Hydrocodone (painkiller), followed by an injection of Penicillin, another antibiotic that we used on Stella to treat the MRSA. Unfortunately, there is that distinct, horrible smell of infection. We attempted to get her into the veterinarian this morning, but our regular veterinarian, Dr. Diaz does not return until tomorrow

Did you administer these medications on your own or did your vet provide them for THIS glider? It sounds as if you gave medications that had been prescribed for another glider.

Did you inform your vet that you had already given antibiotcs? (3 different ones counting the Vetericyn) Administering antibiotics BEFORE seeing the vet and getting a culture of the wound will affect the results of the culture.

I agree with Val. If this is the second glider you have had with MRSA there may be others in your home as well. You may want to have ALL of your gliders cultured to see if others are also infected. Your vet can do mouth or nose swabs for a culture.

Good Morning,
Yeah, I posted the entire account of what had happened over on Sugar Glider Neighborhood first, but I did attempt to post to several other boards after that since I hadn't gotten a response right away there - I should have just copied the post from there, huh? It would have given everyone a bit more background knowledge - thank you for posting it here.

I spoke with my veterinarian on Sunday via phone call, as the clinic was closed. He decided at that point it could wait until Tuesday (when he would be available at the clinic). We knew that amputation was probably going to be our only option at this point and we did our best to make sure she was stabilized and in as little pain as possible until Tuesday. I have administered many different medications to many different Gliders, obviously, that doesn't make me an expert but I do have knowledge of what medications should be used for what. Dr. Diaz and I talked about the situation extensively before deciding what medications to use, how much and how often - HE and I decided the treatment plan before I gave her anything, I did not just pull random medications to use on my own. All medications were given to me pretty recently, none were expired.

I do have experience with MRSA, as Stella had it back in May. However, when I had posted on SGN, the first response I received was from Cora where she told me that Penicillin WOULD NOT treat MRSA, that's when I posted again hoping to get some clarification as I am nearly positive that we used Penicillin to treat Stella's MRSA... And she got better! I am going to pick Sheila up this afternoon and I do have a few more questions to ask Dr. Diaz after speaking with the community.

My question now is this, Stella got MRSA from being bitten by Bindi AND Sheila got MRSA from being bitten by Bindi - could Bindi be a carrier? Should I take her to get checked and tested? She is now living as a single Glider as she is too "alpha," and I have had too many babies get hurt - it's just not a risk worth taking anymore. She seems so depressed being alone, but I don't know what else to do!

Finally, an update on Sheila... Dr. Diaz amputated the arm and she seems to be recovering well. She was eating almost immediately after the procedure and all the technicians were giving her plenty of attention, they wouldn't stop sending me pictures... They handfed her a bunch of mealworms after surgery and said she gobbled them all up - I got her so many treats for when she comes home. I will post again this afternoon when I pick her up, I'll try to get some pictures too.

Thank you all for the support and advice!

Quote :

Sheila got MRSA from being bitten by Bindi

First, you have assumed that the infection was MRSA BEFORE Sheila was actually seen by your vet and did a culture. A MRSA infection cannot be diagnosed by photos. Did the vet confirm the diagnosis with a culture? There are MANY different bacterial infections that could have been in play and the treatment depends on a specific diagnosis.

Yes, Bindi could have MRSA - your vet can do a culture from a nose or mouth swab to make this diagnosis. If Bindi does have MRSA, it is likely that any other glider she has ever been housed with or come in contact with may also have been infected. It does not require a wound to transmit MRSA as it can be present in the body without showing any symptoms.

Val are these even possible to give a glider?? I have never ever heard of them being used in a glider. Those are pretty powerful medications to be given but JMO.

Gabapentin (painkiller) and Hydrocodone (painkiller),

I am also curious. Do vets give penicillin as an injectable for home use?

Yes to Gabapentin. In fact, I think Spencer was on it for a time.

As for all the others ---- I think that we have to consider the source. I have treated a crap ton of illness and injury in gliders and have never been given hydrocodone for a glider. I have also not been given PCN for injection, but I have been given several other meds for injection, so it is possible. I would ask Dr. Walsh, but don't feel it is worth his time considering I don't even know if there is truth in the story.

If that glider was given as much medication as she has stated, then there are many other complications that can result. It is a shame that we never really know what is true and what is fabrication. It makes it very difficult to be of any real help.

It is a shame, Val. Like the boy who cried wolf. How do we know she really needs help.

Thank you for your response.

You can validate the information I have provided by calling my veterinarian.

Broward Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital
Dr. Santiago Diaz, DVM
(954) 968-7171

http://www.exoticanimalcare.com/

You don't have to believe me, but you should believe him.

Sheila is currently on the following medications...

Meloxicam
Baytril
Gabapentin
Penicillin
Hydrocodone

I can check the exact dosages when I get home, all of the medications are oral except for the Penicillin, which is an injection (sub-q) given once daily. I've used Gabapentin, Hydrocodone and Penicillin on several Gliders, so I sincerely hope there is not an issue - but again, if you have questions, please direct them at my veterinarian... I am just doing as asked by him.

Would you like me to scan a copy of the discharge instructions on to my computer while I am at it?...

I know we have passed this point of the conversation and while I have nothing new to add to what the ladies here have already said and asked, I do want to state that I have a glider who had his left arm amputated at the shoulder and it doesn't slow him down one bit. Aside from a bit of a goofy gait, you wouldn't even know the arm was missing.

Still no word on how this little glider is doing?

It didn't seem like you believed me - I just decided to stop posting about her. You can direct further comments or questions to my veterinarian.

Lauren, believe what you want. I will not be calling your vet. I wish your little one well.

In an effort to avoid even more confusion in the future, I just wanted to point out here that we have no evidence that this glider actually tested positive for MRSA. All that we have is Lauren's admission that she began a dangerous cocktail of medications on the glider after a phone conversation with her vet. It is most likely that Lauren self-diagnosed this glider with MRSA.