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VIRGINIA OPOSSUM CARE

Copyright © 2005 - Laura Ledet - All Rights Reserved


MEDICAL ISSUES


DSN is a FATAL disease! If you suspect a possum you have has this,
it is imperative that he/she is seen by a Vet asap!


This is a picture of of DSN (Crispy Ear).
Photographed By: Katelin Welles.



Another view of DSN on the ear.
Photo By: Racquel Ringling



DSN sores on the body.
Photo By: Racquel Ringling



DSN on the paws.
Photo By: Racquel Ringling



DSN on the tail.
Photo By: Racquel Ringling




FOR INFORMATION ON DSN:

Dermal Septic Necrosis




Here we see Bell, again. A short while after Bell and her babies were released, a re-injured
Bell returned once again to Barb's home. This time her hind leg had been severely mauled and shattered.
The Vet tried several times to save it,
but the end result had to be amputation in order to save Bell's life.
Bell is making out quite well w/o her leg and is living out her years well loved with Barb in her home.




Here is little Clay who lost 1/2 of his tail to infection while he was in my care, due to his
incessant chewing at it. We had to have a large part of his tail amputated because of it.
When he went to reside at my friends house, he later had to have some of his toes amputated as well.
Clay's hind end is lame and despite all attempts to keep him from doing so,
he kept chewing at his back feet. The toes had to be amputated. He did very well after that point,
and as you can see, it didn't effect his appetite!
***Photo by: Barb Miller***


Pictures of Leroy getting his tail shortened because of an infection.
Photos compliments of: Brenda Ice











This is Brenda Ice's Leroy. He is lame in the rear end.



Leroy prior to tail docking surgery.

LEROY'S STORY
As told by Brenda Ice
3/21/2006

Leroy came to me from a woman who is also a rehabber in a neighboring town. Her thing
is bats and she just didn't know what to do with him. He wasn't using his back
legs, but otherwise healthy-except for a small wound or two, at least this was
what I was told on the phone. When we met and I got a look at the little fellow I
saw that he had more than one or two little wounds -he had been grabbed by
something big, probably a hawk. The wounds were deep and in a pattern of a
claw. He was pretty thin but calm. He has never been very nervous except if you
move over his head! He appeared to be about 3 or 4 months old and small for his age.

The vet checked him out and said that the injuries would heal ok and maybe he would
regain use of his legs. He couldn't find any broken bones and the spine wasn't
severed or broken. It could be swollen tissue pressing on the nerves that
was causing the paralysis or it could be permanent. Only time would tell.

Well, time did tell-he was paralyzed. No other issues, healthy a really good little
fellow-didn't seem to make a big deal out of not having the use of his back legs.
The only problem he had was this tail thing behind him that really seemed to
bother him. It would jerk around sometimes all on it's own, or so it seemed.
He began to lick it a lot and then one day there was a small sore -then a
bigger sore-then a really large sore. So out came the creams--and more creams-a
visit to the vet-another cream--antibiotics-bandages. Nothing deterred him
from making the area bigger and bigger. It would start to heal and then he was at it again.

When I found a bed full of blood-well maybe not full, but lots for a little fellow, one
morning I knew we had to do something more. I wrote to just about everyone to ask
opinions, consulted the vet and even had a talk with Leroy. What it boiled down
to, was I was going to have to make the decision to remove half of his
tail. I was afraid he would chew it off and bleed out before I found him. He had
actually narrowed the tail in the middle by about half!

So surgery was scheduled and done successfully. His tail is healing nicely
and so far he is leaving it alone. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.



MEDICAL: MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease