SHARING STORIES

Members are encouraged to share stories of gliders who have experienced cancer so that others can learn from it. Please share with us anecdotal information that is useful for owners or veterinarians, including:

* Symptoms you first noticed
* Tests vet ran to come to this diagnosis
* The treatment prescribed by vet
* Aftercare provided by yourself (include any help you received from community members if you like)
* Recovery information or notes that might be helpful to others
* The results of treatment.

Photos are encouraged IF they help to teach or provide examples.

Overnight (literally) a lump grew on Rockys neck. He was approx 1 year oop
https://2img.net/h/i5.photobucket.com/albums/y164/angelfish_37/DSCN0706.jpg
I took him to my vet. He removed the lump and sent it off for biopsy. My vet felt confident that it was benign as it was encapsulated and he was able to get it all. He was sent home with antibiotics and pain meds. Rocky healed well from the lump removal. Unfortunately when the biopsy result came in and I heard "Lymphoma," I knew it was a death sentence, so I looked up Darcy's diet and everything I could on Lymphoma. There is just not enough info out there.

2 weeks later Rocky was dragging his legs and urinating on himself. With a heavy heart, I took him back to the vet. X-rays revealed tumors forming on his leg bones, spine, and abdomen. I made the painful decision to let my baby go. He was euthanized at that time. This was 2006.

Last year I almost lost Stormy due to the fact she would not eat. The vet I was seeing at the time said if she doesn't start eating she will die. I have an hour and half drive home from the vet so I took that time to call Sheila Wilson (Stormy came from her). I told her what was going on and she had me stop and get peach yogurt from Wal-Mart. Stormy lived on this for 2 weeks. She started getting better. She put back on some weight and became the glider I knew her to be.

Fast forward to now. Stormy has never been a big glider 73 grams was her max and 65 her lowest. Since about November I have been struggling with Stormy. Constant fecals we done because I am one of the lucky ones who has had to deal with numerous parasite battles. Stormy was diagnosed as having FLUKES at one point last year. Giardia was present several times as well. Stormy had started looking oily and her pretty white fur was clumpy and yellowing. I KNEW she was ill by looking at her but the vet could find nothing wrong. I lost another glider to an unknown reason so I loaded the crew of 11 up and took them to a new vet. All we clear of parasites but I pushed the issue with Stormy. the vet agreed she looked sick and wanted to do blood work. I asked if she was going to be put under and if so to do x rays and ultra sounds at the same time. I didn't want her put under more than one time knowing she was ill. Well, they tried to get blood but said her pressure was so bad they only got a drop at a time so they gave up. While under the vet checked her over better and felt a mass under the rib cage area. An ultra sound was done and it appeared her liver was 2 times the size it should have been. From what I was seeing on the screen I determined Stormy to have sever liver problems. I asked they put her to sleep at that time and do a necropsy. While I waiting in the lobby they dis as I asked. After they finished I was told her gallbladder was filled with "jell-o" like substance (sup to be liquid) and was enlarged as well as the liver being enlarged and damaged.

Today the histopath came back it was cancer in both organs. Once I have the report in I will sent it on to Val. At this point I know I wont find out How she got it, or what caused it. If her info can help someone else (or even mine I have more with liver issues) then WE have done out part. I sure wish I have the brain to wrap around this medical stuff I am sure most of it went over my head. All I know is we lost another baby and we still can't fix them.

So sorry, Cyndie. Thanks for having the necropsy and studies done. It really helps all gliders. Thanks for sharing the info w/ the SUGAR group!

Duchess died in my hand at 5:45am New years day.
i woke up new years eve with a migrain so i didn't feed mealies and check babies like normal. when i was finally feeling better around 9pm I decided to check babies and feed mealies. I thought it odd after Chloe got her third mealie that Duchess didn't come out to eat. So i dangled mealie over pouch and still nothing. panic mode now. grap pouch and look inside. I see Duchess having seizure. her eyes are open and her little paws are balled up so tight and she is shaking. I pull her out put her on my lap and she is still warm. after a few minutes she stopped and just spread eagle on my lap. She kept that up all night long. about every 20min she would seize then relax. around midnight i went into the bedroom and had her in a pouch on my chest. I had to go to bathroom at 5:40. put her under covers,kiss her and said I would be right back. by the time i got back she was dead. with her seizing and it being holiday i knew that there wasn't much i could do but keep her comfortable. the end was near.
being new years day nothing could be done till Monday. dropped her body off at vet Monday. he did find lump and dark spot on abdomen around lymphoid. we sent her organs to val to take to lab for further test. it was determined that she had cancer of the sensory system.
thinking back the only signs that something was wrong was that she wasn't running in the wheel or coming out to play as much as she had before.
the necrospy gave me more questions then answers. one of her cage mates died of cancer in the liver 6months to day of her.
how do you get cancer of the sensory system?
she was a glider with lineage and her parents and aunt are still alive. very healthy I might add. Even the breeder can't understand this.

I have a glider named Sunshine who has been living over 1 year with a lump on her neck just like the one Rocky had in the post above. No surgery, Nosteroids. Ensure diet. She is doing great, no wt loss, no decrease in activity levels. Her lump is more flat these days but its still there. I know another member of the community experiencing the same thing. I found the lump overnight on a glider I was sitting, no surgery, no steroids and hers has flattened out a little too. Her activity level is a little less at times. Her name is Dakota.