Fat pads Removed from Gizzy (yukky pic)

[sallyb]

I asked the vet if he would email me some photos of the fat pads he removed from Gizzy last week and I really wanted to share them in the hope that they may help others.

Adam is sure these are consistent with Steatitis which can be as a result of vitamin E deficiency or gorging on the wrong feeders. We are all a bit baffled as to how this has happened, it seems the op last year was the trigger as she was fine prior to and just after the op. I do worry though that perhaps the supplement I was using was not the best I could have I have changed this just in case it did contribute. The pads in her casque seem fine, strangely enough.

For the first time owners like ourselves please, please use a vet recommended supplement and feed your cham the right foods - sadly egg binding ops cannot always be avoided, but we can certainly ensure our pets get the best of everything. Thank heavens that we have the best and most determined vet we could possibly wish for, we came far too close to loosing our precious girl.

 

[carol5208]

Why did they have to remove the fat pads????? There was nothing else that could have been done obviously?

 

[sallyb]

They had become so big and hard that it was impossible to treat them. Perhaps if we had known sooner it could have helped, but we all thought it was poop problem as she had difficulty "going" after the egg op. The good side is that she is doing great now and doesn`t need to back for 4 weeks.

 

[carol5208]

I know this might sound stupid but do they fill back in then?

 

[sallyb]

I`m afraid your guess is as good as ours. As far as the vet knows it is virtually unheard of, so we are having to take things day by day and pray everything will be fine. She does have a little bit of swelling at the moment, but all-in-all her tummy feels much the same as it did last year before the problem began.

 

[Miss Lily]

Amazing! Looks like slices of mango! Where were these situated in her body? Yuo say that Gizzy had trouble pooping - was she still eating? How long had she not pooped for before the vet operated? I am so glad she is doing better now - you certainly have a brilliant vet there! Did he say which foods were the 'wrong' type that could cause this? It may help others to know which food is involved. Sorry for all the Q's but I am really interested, especially as Amy is a bit of a piggy and seems to eat everything!

 

[sallyb]

Hi Tiff - the fat pads are near the back legs in the tummy. Gizzy had seemed fine up to a week before we saw the vet and had "been" that week. I weighed her an noticed that her weight seemed to have ballooned suddenly to 246g from 130g and her tummy seemed hard. We decided to take her to the vet as I thought eggs may have regrown. Adam thought it was poop as she had a few problems with constipation after the first op. He put her on lactulose and critical care for a week in the hope it was a constipation, but after a couple of days she stopped eating and seemed depressed and dark. This is when we realised that an op was the only way to help and find out if it was eggs or poop.

It was a massive shock when he discovered the real problem, but there was no option but to remove the pads at this stage. We discussed the diet etc and he is sure it was nothing related to her diet, but over feeding waxworm, wax moths any thing high in fat or wax can cause this if fed in large quantities or over a period of time.

I am more than happy to answer anything I possibly can if it helps anyone. I would hate for somebody else and their cham to go through this. We saw Adam this morning and he rightly calls her a "little miracle". Personally i think he is a miracle worker.

 

[Miss Lily]

Thank you Sally! Your vet is wonderful! I shall certainly bear this information in mind if ever Amy starts to gain weight rapidly. Did Gizzy look a lot fatter when she had that sudden weight gain? I am so glad she made it through another op - she's sure made of strong stuff!

 

[laurie]

I look at those pictures and hurt for Gizzy again. Those must weight a gram or more. I am just glad you and Gizzy made it and beat the odds again. I think Gizzy needs to go in the Guiness book of records!!

 

[sallyb]

I think you`re right Laurie - this little girl seems to have had nine lives. I`m not bargaining on anymore though. when the vet showed me them I almost keeled over

 

[sallyb]

Sorry Tiff, I missed your message. She did start looking plump about 2-3weeks ago so I decided to weigh her again, but up to that point she looked normal and was going to the toilet and eating. Errmm that did not sound good - I meant eating and going to the toilet, lol.