Looking for recommendations/contact details for an experienced vet with deer experience for our regular vet to chat to on phone.
Background: I am a wildlife carer, I have raised fallow deer previously and currently have a very unwell Rusa deer fawn in care at my sanctuary.
He is under the care of our exotics vet, but she is a bit stumped by his condition. Prior to coming to us he was found at a few days old (we think) by a member of the public who had him for two weeks feeding a combination of powdered milk and goats milk. He did not have a heat source and she was unfortunately not aware she should have been stimulating him to urinate/deficate. After 2 weeks with her stopped wanting to feed and became quite weak. She got in touch with us through another carer and we rushed him to our vet.
Vet suspected a combination of low temperature/low body weight was to blame, he was only 5kg and once he was warmer he started to feed again. He is now wearing jumper and in warm room (24 degrees) with heater.
For the first 5 days in care with us he was doing well, suckling, running around, very active and noisy at feed times. He is on womberoo deer formula we have added 1 egg yolk per L of milk at vets recommendation. He is now 6kg.
However 3 days ago (he has now been with us 8 days) he went downhill rapidly, stopped wanting to suck and had to be syringe fed. Now on day 3 (after 2 vet visits) he is unable to stand for more than a minute or 2 and sleeping all the time. The vet has prescribed antibiotics although his temp is fairly normal. We are waiting on blood tests results hopefully tomorrow. To keep his gut moving vet has also given metoclopramide (used in rabbits and horses for gut stasis), he is passing small amounts of poop, solid and dark brown. From today we have started having to feed with a gastric tube direct to his stomach as he stopped wanting to swallow and we did not want to risk aspiration. He has perked up slightly with the tube feeds but is still over all very flat. Feeding 100ml a feed every 3 hours, approx. 800ml/24 hours currently.
His lungs sound clear and his heart sounds are also normal, no signs of gut obstruction.
Wondering if anyone has any other experience of something similar or thoughts on what the cause could be?
Vet has been hesitant to worm him while he is so sick, but could worms or another parasite be to blame?
Background: I am a wildlife carer, I have raised fallow deer previously and currently have a very unwell Rusa deer fawn in care at my sanctuary.
He is under the care of our exotics vet, but she is a bit stumped by his condition. Prior to coming to us he was found at a few days old (we think) by a member of the public who had him for two weeks feeding a combination of powdered milk and goats milk. He did not have a heat source and she was unfortunately not aware she should have been stimulating him to urinate/deficate. After 2 weeks with her stopped wanting to feed and became quite weak. She got in touch with us through another carer and we rushed him to our vet.
Vet suspected a combination of low temperature/low body weight was to blame, he was only 5kg and once he was warmer he started to feed again. He is now wearing jumper and in warm room (24 degrees) with heater.
For the first 5 days in care with us he was doing well, suckling, running around, very active and noisy at feed times. He is on womberoo deer formula we have added 1 egg yolk per L of milk at vets recommendation. He is now 6kg.
However 3 days ago (he has now been with us 8 days) he went downhill rapidly, stopped wanting to suck and had to be syringe fed. Now on day 3 (after 2 vet visits) he is unable to stand for more than a minute or 2 and sleeping all the time. The vet has prescribed antibiotics although his temp is fairly normal. We are waiting on blood tests results hopefully tomorrow. To keep his gut moving vet has also given metoclopramide (used in rabbits and horses for gut stasis), he is passing small amounts of poop, solid and dark brown. From today we have started having to feed with a gastric tube direct to his stomach as he stopped wanting to swallow and we did not want to risk aspiration. He has perked up slightly with the tube feeds but is still over all very flat. Feeding 100ml a feed every 3 hours, approx. 800ml/24 hours currently.
His lungs sound clear and his heart sounds are also normal, no signs of gut obstruction.
Wondering if anyone has any other experience of something similar or thoughts on what the cause could be?
Vet has been hesitant to worm him while he is so sick, but could worms or another parasite be to blame?