[Gpdd] HEALTH: Hershey's diarrhea resolving

[GARY HESS]

I'm sorry I haven't kept you in touch for the last couple days and have overlooked comments and questions. The last two days have been pivotal as her tummy is settling. She had her greens (thumbnail-sized bits of carrot, romaine, parsley, celery tops) for the first time yesterday, and her droppings remain normal. She is very hungry and demanding, but I'm not going to overdo on anything but hay and water, which she should have available anyway. Boy, has she missed her treats! Yesterday was the first time she ate pellets in wheeks.
As for the obstruction, the current opinion is that it was trapped gas that was causing the distress. No mention was made of anything obstructing as x-rays showed no evidence of it.
I don't feed grains except for the insignificant amount of them in her steady diet of timothy-based Oxbow pellets and Kay Tee Exact pellets which I use, broken into bits, only for treats, as, unlike the Oxbows, they contain artificial colors and flavors. Yeah, I admit it. Junk food!
Every human I've known who's taken flagyl was quite miserable during course of treatment. I've used it in birds to treat protozoan infection (like girardia lamblia) with no ill effects. Since Hershey's improved dramatically, I'm hoping that her medication is not harming her. I've been treating her with BeneBac probiotic every couple days and simethecone twice a day, which really helps. She's also still on a motility drug, ciproside.
There have been a couple unexpected benefits to all this trauma. Hershey now loves my husband, Gary. She waits for him at the cage door, lets him pick her up, and stands, unrestrained, for syringing. She'll sit on the couch on her waterproof mattress pad, and Gary and I will sit on the floor at eye level, and pet her and laugh at her antics. She's become so much braver! She likes to explore now. The piggies on the pirating adventure will corroborate my observation as to her initial timidity, and how she progressed on her adventure. Well, she's made a huge popcorn forward!
Again, I'm sorry for not responding individually. She's taken every bit of my attention. I so appreciate you all accompanying me on this journey. I'm hoping it will soon lead to total wellness.
Joanie