Suspected Sinus Infection?

Hey there,
I've had my 10 week old male joey for 2 weeks now and recently his right cheek has become slightly more swollen than his left cheek. He is also making the grooming sneezing noise regularly while NOT grooming and I am getting very concerned. I also have a female joey in the same cage as him and she is not showing any health issues. I suspect he may have some sort of sinus infection, but this is just a guess. There is hardly information about Sugar Gliders and Sinus Infections on the Internet.

Going to the vet is unfortunately not really an option at the moment; the nearest exotic animal vet is far and we have already spent $400 in vet bills on my last joey that passed away 3 days after I brought him home. So my parents refuse to take him to the vet :( I have Antibiotics in hand (Baytril) and could possibly give him that based on the dosage from my other male joey. That seems like my only option right now. I am worried my female will also get sick; if it is a Sinus Infection, should I be concerned about contagion? Thanks for your help.

I would personally be more concerned about it possibly being an abcess. The problem is, if it is (or even if it isn't), the only responsible answer you will receive here is that he needs vet care. You should never just give medications, especially without knowing what you are even treating, if anything. Sinus infections are not a common sugar glider issue and even if it were, it probably would not make only half of his face swell. I know it isn't what you want to hear, but the only correct course of action is medical attention. If something is wrong, he could be in pain. What if he needs more than antibiotics and needs an anti-inflammatory and pain medication? Again, there's no way to know because it is not possible for us to diagnose.

Kylah is right you need to get the little one into the vet's.
Where are you located and maybe we can find a closer one for you.
Also giving meds first could hinder and test's your vet my need to run to get him/her on the proper medication.
Going in sooner could potentialy save you $$ in the long run. Please ask you parents to read this and maybe it will help with getting this baby into the vets.

Please keep us posted and how things are going and if you need help please let us know and we will help you or contact Val for you.
My number us 860-508-4853 in case you need it. You can text me it call.

All I can do here is echo what the others have said and that your glider needs vet care sooner than later. If it's a facial abscess, chances are good that he will go downhill quickly if not treated.

Very agreed with what has been posted...it's never a good idea to play vet ourselves. We could end up making it much worse than better.

I appreciate your replies. I didn't have Internet all day yesterday, so I was unable to see them until today.

Unfortunately, my parents are out of town and I cannot physically take him to the vet even if they gave their consent (which they won't, because of financial restrictions). However, yesterday morning I actually ended starting him on the Baytril according the dosage from my last joey. I know it was/is a big risk to take but I would rather try something than sit back and watch him die.

I am happy to report that this morning, his swelling is almost completely gone :) He's had a little diarrhea but I attribute that to the meds. He has been drinking plenty of fluids (he can't resist apple juice) and I have been giving him lots of yogurt to counteract the digestion side effects. I am hoping and praying for his full recovery.

My recommendation here, since you are unable to take him to the vet, is to at least call and consult with the vet about what is going on - then ask the vet about the dosage according to your gliders weight to make sure that you are, in fact, giving the correct amount.

Also keep in mind that apple juice could be contributing to the diarrhea. The very best thing for your glider for hydration is plain water with nothing added.

I sent the vet an e-mail and she said that even if I call her, she cannot legally tell me how to treat him until she actually sees the animal. :(

And I got him from Pocket Pets, who instructed me to start my joeys on a mixture of apple juice or Gatorade and water to keep him hydrated. Both joeys have never had diarrhea from that. I am also weaning them off the apple juice, their water bottle is now only about 1/8 apple juice and the rest distilled water.

You don't have to feed the apple juice. Why they tell people that is beyond me, but it's simply not necessary. Also, please don't use distilled water, as it is lacking in the proper minerals we (and gliders) actually need in our bodies. Spring or tap water is okay. But again, water is the best thing for hydration for humans and animals.

Wow. They told us NOT to use tap water and to make sure we used Distilled. This company has told us so many lies, it's hard to keep track of what's true and what isn't.

Yes, it's unfortunate, but true. They do give out a lot of misinformation. That's why we're here. :) If your tap water is safe for you to drink, it's safe for your gliders. If not for some reason, then bottled or filtered water is just fine. :)

How is your little one doing tonight.

Aimee is right Distilled water has nothing in it as they strip it of everything.
What diet are you feeding? Please take a look at some of the one's listed on here and start your glider on one of those. They need more then what PP tells you to feed. By 6-7 week old my Joey's are eating some of the same things their parents are eating. They explore and honestly they know what they can eat. They try all the fruits and veggies eat meal worm and sometimes will even sample a treat if I am handing them out.

They said that tap water has too much chlorine which can kill Gliders. Idk, I will stick with spring water for now.

He is looking good this morning, I'm keeping him hydrated by giving him apples and peaches and he is drinking from his water bottle. He has almost stopped the sneezing thing, and the eye abscess looks to be gone. My only concern is his fecal matter is kind of slimy and brownish green. By it's not full-blown diarrhea. Not sure how much longer I will administer the Baytril, but I'm thinking only a few more days.

Since I haven't had them more than a few weeks, they are on a limited diet. I have followed PP's diet plan which may not be the best idea, but I honestly don't know what is best. They are eating "Glide-r-Chow", yogurt, whole wheat bread 2-3 times a week, and slices of apples every night. The PP people told us not to try new foods or fruits until we've had the babies at least 6 weeks.

I am going to say here that giving medication with out a veterinarian is not a good idea. You have a very young Joey and some medications are harmful to their systems as they are not fully mature yet. In other words you can kill them. Please get your glider into the vet before it is too late.
I understand you have already spent $$ on another glider only to have it pass away which I am sorry for but I also think you need to get this one in for proper treatment. Only a veterinarian can make the right choice for treatment and possibly keep this one from getting any sicker.

Also the advise PP is giving you about diet is poor. I have no idea why they tell you to give those foods and nothing else is beyond me. Joeys by the age of 10 weeks should be eating multiple food items and an approved staple food. What you are feeding them is not enough IMO. Please go to the diet section here and pick one that is better for your glider.

Sorry to be so harsh but since your glider now has a GI issue going on also Vet care is best and maybe they can help you with choosing a better diet.

I am going to agree 100% with Brenda on this one - on everything.

The things PPP tells you - it's misinformation. Gliders' systems CAN handle more than what they tell you. Why do they tell you this? So that you will buy and continue to buy their pellet food. Tap water is fine. If it was bad for them, then it would be bad for you to drink, as well.

Ditch the bread and the glider-chow now. Those two things are contributing factors in one of the number two things gliders are dying from right now, which is impaction. Find a diet, there is a diet section on here, that you think sounds right, and feed that. Gliders are omnivores, meaning they require protien, fruits and veggies every day. They do not need bread.

I know, when you first get gliders, and start researching, the amount of information is overwhelming. Please keep asking us questions and letting us know how things are going. It gets easier, and less confusion as time goes on. We are more than happy to help you out, and even get on the phone with you, if you need it.