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Old 04-20-2021, 02:04 PM  
Vierville
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Join Date: Jun 2019
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Default Sad news- Baldrick

It's been a very long time since I've posted on here, but today I got some very sad news about my beloved Baldrick.

He's only 17 months old and since January he's been making chirping sounds which I thought was unusual. He seemed normal apart from that, active with a good apetite but then I noticed blood in his urine a few weeks ago. I immediately took him to the vet who gave him a long-lasting antibiotic injection. The blood cleared up but the chirping noises got more prominent. Last week while handling him, he suddenly made a few gasping motions and passed out. He came round after a few minutes but we rushed him to the vet and the vet kept him over night, did a scan on him and said he suspected a respiratory problem, maybe an infection or chronic inflammation. He has Kaytee Clean n Cosy bedding and torn up toilet paper so nothing in his cage is harmful in that sense.

Baldrick was given cortisone and antibiotics to take for a month, but two nights ago he really was not looking himself, ears flat and struggling to breathe when I tried to give him his medicine. He seems to breathe ok when not stressed or handled, but when I handle him or he gets excited, like if he gets a treat, then he struggles to breathe.On top of that, we discovered more blood in his urine.

We took him back to the vet the next morning and he has been kept overnight again but the vet phoned me this afternoon saying that he suspects a lung tumour as the white cell count has gone down to normal levels but he is still struggling to breathe when excited or stressed.

He is keeping Baldrick there tonight again for observation but he did mention that he is very very concerned about him. I am so worried for my little friend, I realise that we are very likely facing a decision on whether putting him to sleep would be the kindest option and making a decision like that is absolutely agonising.
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