She is dying...

Gail

Arachnopixie
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
556
Well, sadly, despite all the medication and TLC, the injured Pink Zebra Beauty female that I recieved is dying. It appeared at first that the antibiotic and antifungal medications had stopped the infections as the smell seemed to go down and she was eating. But she stopped eating a few days ago and has been having problems moving about even before that. She staggers and falls over. I am noticing a smell again - the split had seemed to be healing but it is opening up again. Strangely it is dry, no oozing. I can see what appears like fungal or infection "blooms" under her abdomenal skin. I feel so bad for the poor thing as she seems to be distressed and in discomfort. I'm just not sure what to do for her at this point. I actually talked to them at my vets office and they said that they didn't know anything to do beyond giving the meds.

Gail:(
 

ithuriel

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 11, 2002
Messages
239
i guess if she is beyond help and it sounds that way a quick end would be best rather than rotting away slowly
 

Gail

Arachnopixie
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
556
I know, I know - it's just so hard to do.
There is also, unfortunately, the fine legal point on all this as I am still in a debat with the vender. In other words, if I put her into the freezer to end her suffering perhaps the vender will decide to take the stance that "she could have been saved" and this is "my fault". I HATE politics!!

Gail
 

Henry Kane

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
1,884
Man Gail, sorry to hear that. It's tough when they show a spark of hope and fade again. Tough as it may be, maybe it's time to put her in the freezer and out of her misery.

Sorry.
Atrax
 

ithuriel

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 11, 2002
Messages
239
i guess all you can do is return her to the vendor and explain she is not long for this world and how to end her suffering if you cant really trust them...... end of the day only you know the situation , only you can make the decision:(
 

skinheaddave

SkorpionSkin
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 15, 2002
Messages
4,341
Document, document, document. Take out your camera. Take a thousand pictures. Get today's newspaper in the background to identify the earliest date they could have been taken. Show all elements of the wound. Get a professional engineer, banker or someone else who isn't a relation, friend etc. but who is "trusted" in court to look at the spider and document what they see. Get your vet to take a look and document what he/she sees.

Then put the spider in the freezer.

Cheers,
Dave
 

Gail

Arachnopixie
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
556
Well, I just couldn't do it. I am being stubborn about this I guess, but I also reasoned that there may well be something valuable to learn about the field of arachnid medical care that she could contribute to so that even if she died it wouldn't be for nothing. So, I talked to my parmacist and he recommended a stronger anti-fungal medication called Undecylenic Acid 25%, brand name is Fungi Nail. I started treatment on the night of this post and I am actually seeing some improvement! She doesn't seem as uncomfortable and the "blooms" of what I suspected were sub-dermal fungal growth are faded somewhat. She also has stopped pulling her legs underneath of herself in that oh so classic "the end is near" pose. The crack hasn't closed up but I actually think that the reason it closed and then opened up a little bit again may be due to tissue growth? I suspect this may be the case since it is "dry". I really hope she pulls through! I am just not ready to give up yet.

Gail
 

ithuriel

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 11, 2002
Messages
239
hope

hope springs eternal , i guess sometimes when it seems hopeless theres always something else to try. i hope you suceed and end up with a live healthy T but if not at least you know you tried everything that current knowledge allows. good luck:)
 

skinheaddave

SkorpionSkin
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 15, 2002
Messages
4,341
I'd still document everything if I were you. If the spider dies then you have a legal case. If the spider lives then you have a "before-and-after" type case. If you want to improve T medicine (which you seem to be well on your way to doing), then you ought to fully document your proceedures. I have already saved the info you have provided to us about medications. You're doing a very noble thing. Best of luck!

Cheers,
Dave
 

Immortal_sin

Arachnotemptress
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 17, 2002
Messages
3,952
Gail,
you are on the cutting edge of arachnid medicine! Like SHD says, DOCUMENT!!
If she pulls through, you might want to publish in the ATS forum, so that everyone else can have that knowledge also.
It's great that you are willing to do whatever it takes to try and find a cure for her, we need people like you in the hobby :)
 
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