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INFORMATION concerning sugar glider health and husbandry matters
 
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 Tritrichamonas

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finnessa
Chris R
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Chris R

Chris R


Posts : 283
Join date : 2009-12-23
Age : 54
Location : Northwestern Missouri

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PostSubject: Re: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitimeWed Sep 21, 2011 12:33 pm

just copying my post from fb

There is a small outbreak of tritrichamonas in gliders, this is normally carried by adult cats with symptoms seen in <1 year old kittens but its pretty lethal to joeys. If you are having issues with joey death, small joeys, joeys that look they were rolled in sticky rust with diahrrea and dehydration issues I would advise you to get your gliders tested for it!! If its prevelant all you need to do is a "wet fecal slide" and look for the adult "swimmers" in it (the difference between Giardia n Tritrich is in the way they swim) but this is not absolutely accurate and is even more under/mis-diagnosed than Giardia is AND its much harder to treat then the most virulent strains of Giardia, my advise IF you suspect and get a clean wet slide at your vets... is to then send it to idexx to be cultured out (or if your vet doesnt feel confident in ability to see it/ had experience with it)
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finnessa

finnessa


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Age : 41
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PostSubject: Re: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitimeWed Sep 21, 2011 3:00 pm

How exactly is it being spread to them? I am worried now lol. I have 2 (3 years old or so) cats although they aren't allowed in the glider room and are fully vacinated.


ETA: Will reminded me to add my cats are strictly indoors minus the one time the huzzy cat escaped for 12 hours. Both are spayed/neutered as well.


Last edited by finnessa on Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
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FutureChef

FutureChef


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Age : 38
Location : Melbourne, Fl

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PostSubject: Re: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitimeWed Sep 21, 2011 3:09 pm

is it just a issue in joeys? or can it be a problem in older gliders? also as finnessa asked how is it spread?

i have a 2yro cat who is indoor/(rarely, but like right now)outdoor.
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Chris R

Chris R


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Age : 54
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PostSubject: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitimeWed Sep 21, 2011 3:39 pm

well in cats, it can be spread to the kittens in utero as the placental barrier does nothing to hold it back.... as adults they are only carriers of the parasite, and it can be transmitted sexually, with scratches, with covering their feces in the cat box and then walking away with the oocysts on their paws and then something comes along and picks it up, same way as other parasites modes of transmission.
I know that the adult gliders that we know are carrying it, the only sign among any of them has been a female that got a pouch infection, I suspect (not proven) that this is due to the fact that joeys IP will urinate and defacate IP thus suscepting the pouch to the parasite which then turns into an infection from there...
1/2 the battle is the vet KNOWING that this is something that needs to be looked for when doing fecals
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srlb

srlb


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PostSubject: Re: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitimeThu Sep 22, 2011 6:15 pm

I would like to post this as it came from Dr.Tristan out of VIN. He is trying to help people understand it better and Val, I thought this would be something you might consider adding to your collection.


Quote :
Peggy,
I have attached an article that may clear up SOME questions about tritrichomonas. Keep in mind this information is on cats which is where it is best described. It is not noted in the literature with gliders. The treatment in this article is also for cats and to my knowledge has not been used in gliders (ronidazole).
Hope this helps
Tim
PS - you are welcome to pass what I have said and the article on to those that are interested


http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/3156797/trichamonas-vin-243k?da=y


His second email was:
Peggy,
In addition, there is some discussion about organisms like this are considered "commensal organisms".
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commensalism
These organisms do not cause disease, but when an animal is stressed or debiliated for another reason, they can become parasitic.
Pass on if you would.
Thanks
Tim
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http://www.critterlove.com
Something_To_Believe_In
Associate
Something_To_Believe_In


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Join date : 2009-12-10
Age : 50
Location : Texas

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PostSubject: Re: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitimeThu Sep 22, 2011 7:39 pm

Thanks Peggy & Chris. Anyone with any information is welcome to post it here.

It seems that so far there are only a few homes reporting positive testing, but it looks like there might be a few more that need to get some testing done ASAP.

If anyone tracks this back to a source, please let us know. Any and all information that glider owners need to know is desired.
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Kristy55303




Posts : 15
Join date : 2010-03-10

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PostSubject: Re: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitimeFri Sep 23, 2011 8:30 pm

As requested from val I wanted to let you all be aware of what is on LGG... here is what i posted
"ok so i thought consulting with Dr. Kevin wright who has access to the best PCR labs will be a good choice. two or three heads is better than less right? He knows Dr.Tristan. Here is the best way. The TF bags if your glider is not shedding tritrich is no use. Also if you do use it the fail rate is too high to say yay or nay unless it came back positive. If it comes back neg. you just wasted time and do not know.

There is a VERY good PCR lab and I have used this lab before i believe with Dr.wright in Dallas Tx. I was able to get this info by calling there today. As far as this lab goes, they can isolate the DNA from a fecal as small as you want, even a rectal swab , however they recommend the fresh feces. It is to be on a swab or sent in those red topped tubes. The cost is only $15.00 and they will take check or CC after the test is done and performed accurately. This is the most reliable and can pick up in asymptomatic gliders. The Labs info is:

Research Associates lab
14556 Midway Rd.
Dallas, Tx 75244

2-3 fecals is best and they don't have to be fresh or stored a certain way or in any medium. DO NOT use medium such as a preservative commonly used in PCR testing. They can't narrow the strain but T.foetus is the most common and most likely. They can' say where it came from but CAN diagnose it with a high reliability. There is always some % of a false neg. but with PCR there isn't that much. This is the form of testing that should be done. BTW they do test for giardia as well for $15.00

Her name is Kate Johnson and their number is 972-960-2221
just to reiterate take 2-3 samples and they can be joey tiny poos. Put them in a red topped test tube. A vent swab will do on the joeys if you can't get a fecal though the best reliability will be a sample of poo. Only 15.00 for this and you can use as small amount of poo as you have.

This is better than TF bag sampling because of the decreased chance of lab errors in vet offices, storing, culturing it out enough, being able to visually identify it etc at a 45% fail rate. This actually examines the DNA of Tritrich.

I'm exhausted from researching this but i knew there was a way to do a smaller sample since in amphibians we do it all the time for a skin swabbing. One lab might not have been able to with a small sample but these guys can. Dr. wright is known for being vet of the year a few yrs ago, ONLY deals with exotics, and has a lot of resources to testing. I am glad they were willing to discuss with me some better options for those that need to test."


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Kristy55303




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Join date : 2010-03-10

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PostSubject: Re: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitimeFri Sep 23, 2011 8:32 pm

Here is what the lab wrote to me in email and I'm forwarding on the document needed to be filled out if you need to test to Val.


"Kristine,
please find attached the submission form for sending samples. Please feel free to post it on your website/blog, and send it to anyone who is concerned with tritrichomonas or any other disease testing we offer. Thank you so much for contacting us and supporting us. We usually provide testing to breeders for $20.00 but in this case we want to make sure we help the animals and get quell the panic!! Anyways, the price is $15.00, and if samples are sent overnight, results are available the next day (24 hour turnaround). Please don't hesitate to call with any other questions. Thank you again!
Kate

--
Kate Johnson, PhD.
Research Associates Laboratory, Inc.
14556 Midway Road
Dallas, TX 75244
p 972.960.2221
f 972.960.1997
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Kristy55303




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PostSubject: Re: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitimeFri Sep 23, 2011 8:36 pm

Ok Val, you should have that form in your inbox dear. I hope it is helpful! :)
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PostSubject: Re: Tritrichamonas   Tritrichamonas Icon_minitime

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