Thank you ladies for thinking of him. We are still fighting the impaction. I took him back to the vet on thursday and had the vet dremel his shell just a bit and vet gave him an enema. Because the impaction is bulging his tail area plus the swelling from surgery, the shell was digging into the top of his tail causing an abrasion. Thats been relieved with dremeling and I'm putting an antiseptic on it. The enema helped to stimulate him but he still cant push out a stool. I soak him, wait for him to push a little out and then I gently pull out as much as I can for him.
Last night was grueling for him. I kept at him for almost an hour but we managed to get enough out of him that at least his little tushy hole could close up to a more comfortable state. But we arent done with it at all. Everything I'm pulling out is still grass. I havent let him graze since the surgery, only feeding him market greens so he is still trying to pass pre-surgery waste.
I didnt push him too much today ... I wanted to give him a break after last night. This is damned uncomfortable for him and painful. Poor guy, breaks my heart to hear him struggle so when he pushes.
I've been sticking to the advice I got here and told the vet about it. He said "thats perfect". He also gave me extra syringes with long tapered tips and told me I could mix water and mineral oil and squirt a little into his tush. So I guess its just a matter of time and patience. Sigh ... but for his sake I wish things would get better soon. I know he has to hate me right now.
Annieski .... I reread your post on the other thread. I'll try to get him moving more but he really doesnt want to wander around. With the partial paralysis he isnt able to get his back end up off the ground much so the bulge from the impaction, his soft anal area rubs on the ground and it irritates him. He'll eat and go straight for a hide to stay in and doesnt come out. He has no urge to graze but will eat moist greens.
I also saw his spinal x-ray (I asked if he could e-mail them to me but he mumbled something about his e-mail skills ... I dont think he wanted to) it was a shot of him while laying on his back. I can see the straight line of his spine then a spot where a splinter sticks out. And not just a tiny splinter ... pretty obvious. Its just about where the place on his shell is that looks like something squashed it ... a little above it (meaning toward his head)
Anyhow ... so we are still working on it. Send him some thoughts please. He is not a happy guy these days.
Last night was grueling for him. I kept at him for almost an hour but we managed to get enough out of him that at least his little tushy hole could close up to a more comfortable state. But we arent done with it at all. Everything I'm pulling out is still grass. I havent let him graze since the surgery, only feeding him market greens so he is still trying to pass pre-surgery waste.
I didnt push him too much today ... I wanted to give him a break after last night. This is damned uncomfortable for him and painful. Poor guy, breaks my heart to hear him struggle so when he pushes.
I've been sticking to the advice I got here and told the vet about it. He said "thats perfect". He also gave me extra syringes with long tapered tips and told me I could mix water and mineral oil and squirt a little into his tush. So I guess its just a matter of time and patience. Sigh ... but for his sake I wish things would get better soon. I know he has to hate me right now.
Annieski .... I reread your post on the other thread. I'll try to get him moving more but he really doesnt want to wander around. With the partial paralysis he isnt able to get his back end up off the ground much so the bulge from the impaction, his soft anal area rubs on the ground and it irritates him. He'll eat and go straight for a hide to stay in and doesnt come out. He has no urge to graze but will eat moist greens.
I also saw his spinal x-ray (I asked if he could e-mail them to me but he mumbled something about his e-mail skills ... I dont think he wanted to) it was a shot of him while laying on his back. I can see the straight line of his spine then a spot where a splinter sticks out. And not just a tiny splinter ... pretty obvious. Its just about where the place on his shell is that looks like something squashed it ... a little above it (meaning toward his head)
Anyhow ... so we are still working on it. Send him some thoughts please. He is not a happy guy these days.