Getting ready to say goodbye to Lou

Hillary anne

Established Member
I’ve decided for a final vet appointment on Thursday for Lou. He has been being treated for weird inflammations and open wounds and after xrays and blood results, the only diagnosis I’ve been told is calcium to phosphorus ratios being out of line, with the potential of renal failure. I am 80% positive it is gout. In the past week his elbow has swollen to 20x it’s sizs, while the other front leg is swollen and slowly healing the final 3/4 wounds. His hip joint not has a nudge also. I’ve been treating him with antibiotics for four months now and, while he eats and poops regularly he is suffering. I can see he is in pain by his composure as much as he hides it. I’ve been to the best of the best vets here and they are mostly at a loss it seems.
I have continued treating him and truly feel his quality of life isn’t where it is improving, just more symptoms and problems coming up. I’ve made remedies nutritionally, supplementally, and habitualwise since his original wound started, as weeks pass I feel he’s alive because of this but an underlying issue remains, i believe to be renal. We have a vet appointment thursday and yes, by all means I will go forward with further treatment if they think it will help him, but I feel it’s too late and everything we’ve tried to do inevitably makes him weaker and he’s just passing time getting by with efforts.
I’ve moved him back and forth from his main enclosure to hospital bin, and have him in the tub at night because he is falling again multiple times a day, esp when his mister goes off. :( I’m at the reality that there are things I could of done to prevent what’s happening to him long long ago, but at this point I feel selfish in meticulous therapy and care because he’s just hanging in there, nothing more.
 
What I believe I did wrong the last 3.5 years- improper humidity(only misted his cage 4-5 times day but did not have an automatic mister, and the manual listings weren’t as long as they should be), nutrition that was too protein rich, and over supplementing him on calcium with D3.
 
Sending you a big hug and I am sorry your going through this. It is really hard to lose these guys. It sounds like you have exhausted treatments for him. Good for you for trying so hard to help him. Sometimes a peaceful death is all we can give them. Much love to you and your family.
 
For example, I came home to this today. Where his elbow was inflamed before about 2-3x the size it’s now 20x. :(
 

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For example, I came home to this today. Where his elbow was inflamed before about 2-3x the size it’s now 20x. :(
This swelling seemed to subside with a calcium shot over a month ago, But never really went back to normal. Now it’s so big he can’t stretch it well, he can hardly function either front arm now :(
 
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Taken last week, now a nudge too on his hip joint. I think it’s gout, it’s the only thing that makes any sense with symptoms.
 
I plan on getting a biopsy on him to hopefully help myself and this vet in confirming my fears and maybe shed light on his species as well for them. Idk.
 
Im sorry Hilary :( dont beat yourself up, you’ve been a good mom and have done everything you can these past few months to try to help him
Get well
 
He did, the only alarming thing was a build up in his stomach. However they seemed to focus on his organs and stomach and bones. They ruled out MBD with this. There was a strange balloon in his stomach, further xrays haven’t been taken since then.
 
He did, the only alarming thing was a build up in his stomach. However they seemed to focus on his organs and stomach and bones. They ruled out MBD with this. There was a strange balloon in his stomach, further xrays haven’t been taken since then.
It was almost like a small balloon moving down his tract, he got two series of xrays taken a week apart, where that mass seemed to move slightly.
 
So, we just got home from the vet. The vet agreed with me that now that his symptoms are visible (knots and inflamation on a few joints), He may have a form of gout. With his calcium deficiencies leaning toward pseduo gout. He offered to try a few injections and to keep an eye on him over the weekend. He got a vitamin a injection and a calcium injection. Went to give this one more go since he is eating, drinking, and his poop and urates are fine(he does urate more often then he used to- and wondering what his kidneys are trying to get rid of). So. here we are. On the way home it was like Lou got a b-12 shot- he was climbing his his carry out cage and immediately took to his branches when we got home.
 
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So, we just got home from the vet. The vet agreed with me that now that his symptoms are visible (knots and inflamation on a few joints), He has a form of gout. With his calcium deficiencies leaning toward pseduo gout. He offered to try a few injections and to keep an eye on him over the weekend. He got a vitamin a injection and a calcium injection. Went to give this one more go since he is eating, drinking, and his poop and urates are fine(he does urate more often then he used to- and wondering what his kidneys are trying to get rid of). So. here we are. On the way home it was like Lou got a b-12 shot- he was climbing his his carry out cage and immediately took to his branches when we got home.
at this point its keeping him comfortable and a close eye to see if anything improves. From there possibly more xrays and bloodwork done? it's not looking too bright but maybe just maybe we can help subside and relieve his current situation. I was prepared to let him go today and now have this weird little glimpse of hope that maybe with treatment and more therapy, he can live a little longer in some comfort and get back to somewhat himself.
 
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