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Sugar gliders are usually healthy pets provided they have adequate care, diet, and husbandry. It is important to understand that sugar gliders maintain very much of their wild instinct, including their instinct to hide illness and injury. It is very important to distinguish what is normal for your sugar glider, such as weight, appetite, sleep schedule, etc. This will help to identify potential problems sooner, so your sugar glider can receive medical attention faster. Making monthly “notes” on your sugar glider, as well as doing a yearly health check by an exotic animal vet, will help keep your pet sugar glider healthy.
Monthly health check should include:
* Weight in grams. Unexplained weight loss, or gain may be a sign of illness
* Normal sleep schedule (wake up/bed time)
* Appropriate Activity levels. Your sugar glider should be alert, responsive, and active. Be sure the sugar glider isn’t inactive, lethargic, or even overly active.
* Appropriate appetite. Often time, just like a 2 year old, sugar gliders can become picky eaters. However, significant appetite changes may be a sign of a problem.
* Any changes in membranes. (nose, ears, mouth, etc.)
o Ears:
• Free of wax
• Should bounce back when pressed down
• Free of tears or lesions
o Eyes:
• Should Bright, clear, and alert
• Not be sunken in, cloudy, or swollen
• Mouth
• Should be dry
o Nose
• Should be pink, free of mucus, and semi-moist.
* Fur should be soft, fluffy, and smooth. Broken, oily, and/or dull fur may reflect a problem. Check for hydration by gently pulling up the fur on the back of the neck, and releasing it. Fur should bounce back quickly when hydrated. If the fur stays “tented”, the sugar glider is dehydrated. The fur should also be looked over for possible cuts, or other lesions. Fur should not have any unexplained wetness, bald spots, or unusual color.
* Movements, and legs should also be noted. Limping, or not using limbs is a sign of several possible health conditions. The sugar glider will need treated as soon as possible.
* Feet, and nails should also be checked. Feet should be pink, and free of any cuts. Skin should be smooth, not flaky or dry. Nails should be trimmed as often as needed. Usually two/three times a month depending on the sugar glider. Nails should not appear “yellow”, infected, swollen, red, or overly “thick”.
* Tail should be full, fluffy, and flexible. No bends or breaks.
* Stool should be well formed, similar to mouse dropping. Stool that is too hard, or too wet may be a sign of illness.
Joey Rejection & Cannibalization Unfortunately there are many factors that can contribute to joey rejection and/or canalization. It is impossible to say exactly why this happens. Some of the reasons we know of may be preventable, others are not. Here are a few that we are aware of:
1. Poor Diet or Diet Deficiency: Lactating parents require a very special dietary balance with increased amounts of both calcium and protein. Protein and calcium are directly related to the amount of milk the mother can produce. If the mother does not have enough milk production, she may reject or cannibalize her joey(s). It is quite painful for a mother to have a suckling joey on her teat with little milk production, so she may bite at the joey(s), reject or cannibalize them. To avoid this, we recommend following proven diet plans which you can find here. Remember, a sugar glider mother will put herself before her young. If she is lacking necessary vitamins or minerals, she will dispose of her babies for her own survival and health. If your female was recently on an unhealthy diet, wait at least 6 months after getting her on a proven diet before allowing her to breeding.
2. Inexperienced and/or Young Mothers: Sometimes a mother may breed too young, and not be prepared for raising joeys. Young mothers may not have developed the instincts needed to raise her babies successfully. In addition, her body is still growing, and may not be able to support proper lactation to raise healthy babies. A female should be at least 9-12 months before attempting to breed to avoid this.
3. Physical and/or Medical Problem with Joey: Even if the joey(s) may have appeared normal to you, there may have been a problem. Sugar Gliders are very intuitive creatures. Joey(s) that are sickly, genetically deformed, or have other problems may attract predators to the nest. If there is a problem with their young, they will dispose of it as necessary.
4. Stress: Stress can have many effects on a mother as well as the pair/colony. Remember, a mother will not risk her own health for her joey(s). She will reject and/or cannibalize her young if her stress level is too high. Some stress triggers include:
1. Relocating or changing their cage while female has joeys in/out of pouch. Avoid relocating or changing cages (permeate housing changes) while the female has joeys in/out of pouch. New sights and smells will make them more nervous until they establish their new "territory". They may reject or dispose of their young until they deem their new environment safe.
2. Moving the gliders to a new home while the female has joey in/out of pouch. Try to avoid relocating your sugar gliders to a new home if at all possible when a female has joeys in/out of pouch. The new surroundings, smells, and people may cause the gliders to become very defensive and nervous. They may dispose or reject any young until they have established a new territory and feel safe once more.
3. Adding sugar gliders to an established pair/colony or changing a females mate. Introducing new sugar gliders to an established pair/colony is rarely ever recommended, this is especially true when breeding. New males will most likely kill another males joeys to produce his own. Newly introduced females may kill or attempt to steal another females young. Introducing any sugar glider to an established pair/colony can create a break down in "pecking order", cause territorial issues, as well as possible jealousy and dominance problems.
4. Removing the male from the female. Do not remove the male from the female when she has joeys. Males help to raise their young. Mothers are very much dependant on them to baby sit, keep the joey(s)warm, and to help teach the joey(s) what being a glider is all about.
5. Seeing or Smelling another glider outside of her colony. Sugar gliders are very territorial. If you have more than one glider pair/colony in the same room, but in different cages, try using a full cage cover over their cage. This way they will not see each other, and it will help keep their colonies scent within their cage. By doing this the pair will feel more secure in their territory. Placing the cages as far apart as possible, or placing each cage of gliders in a different room will help as well.
6. Mother or joeys being handled with joeys ip/oop before being completely bonded to you. Sugar gliders that are not completely bonded to their human companions may see you as a threat. If you are not completely bonded to the parents, and have had rejection/canalization issues in the past, try waiting to hold the joey until it is 10-14 days out of pouch. After this time period chances of rejection and cannibalization go down. Start off handling the joey in the presence of the parents for short times, and then increase increments as the parents become accustom to you handling their joey(s).
5. Illness: The female will not risk her own health to raise her joey(s). She will reject or cannibalize her young to save or maintain her own health. To help avoid this, take the pair/colony to the vet prior to breeding to ensure there isn't an underlaying health issue. Sugar gliders can easily hide illnesses until it has become extremely advanced.
6. Trio or Colony Settings: Females within a colony setting may fight, steal babies, or attempt to kill each others offspring. Sometimes colonies/trios will work out well with twin sisters or females that have been raise together from a very young age. Please understand that even though the trio/colony works out a few times, it does not mean you are in the clear. Some trios have been noted to work out well for years, and then have severe problems later on.
Hind Leg Paralysis
Also known as HLP, Secondary Metabolic Bone Disease, Hypocalcemia or Calcium Deficiency... all these terms refer to the same condition - the body's inability to properly synthesize calcium, resulting in the bones not getting enough calcium. In severe cases, the calcium is also leached from the muscles, causing paralysis of the hind legs. Although a diagnosis of HLP used to be considered an automatic death sentence, if caught early and proper treatment is administered, HLP can be healed and the sugar glider can continue to lead a long and productive life.
Symptoms:
Causes:
The complete diet of the glider should be evaluated to determine whether or not it may be the cause of HLP. Make sure that your glider is being given a nutritionally complete diet with a balanced Calcium to Phosphorus ratio of 2:1 and that all components of the diet are being eaten. If a glider is picking and choosing their foods and not eating one of the components, the nutritional balance can be thrown off. This was the case with my Pika. She would only eat the proteins being provided and did not eat her fruits and vegetables very much. This over-balance of protein in her diet actually inhibited her body's ability to synthesize the calcium so that although her blood level of calcium was elevated above the normal level, her bones were not receiving that calcium and HLP was the result. The Calcium to Phosphorus ratio of the diet is not the only one to be concerned with. Many vitamins can react adversely with each other. Some will prevent the absorption of certain minerals and vice versa. For example, too much Vitamin C will prevent the absorption of Calcium. In addition, it should be noted that too much Calcium is just as harmful as not enough. When too much Calcium is given to a sugar glider, the result can be kidney stones, crystals in the urine, gall stones and/or Calcium deposits on the bones, joints, muscles and organs. There are several proven diets available. These diets have been devised in consultation with veterinarians and nutritionists to ensure overall nutritional and mineral balances for the complete health of sugar gliders. Any of the proven diets should be followed exactly and you should not "pick & choose" from the various diets and combine them since this will throw off the nutritional balance of the diet. Some of the proven diets available for sugar gliders include:
Diagnosis:
Veterinary diagnosis is needed to determine whether or not a glider does or does not have HLP. A number of tests need to be run at the time of the veterinary examination. The most important tests include:
Gliders that have been diagnosed as having HLP should be treated with an oral calcium supplement, such as Neocalglucon (only available through a licensed veterinarian). The actual amount administered is determined by the veterinarian based upon the glider's weight. Normal course of treatment with oral calcium supplement is two weeks - although this time may be extended in severe cases. In some cases, the veterinarian will administer an injection of calcium to jump-start the healing process. In addition, an antibiotic should be prescribed. If a specific infection has been found during veterinary examination, an appropriate antibiotic will be prescribed accordingly. If no infection can be found, a broad-spectrum antibiotic (such as Baytril, SMZ-TMP or Clavamox) should still be prescribed as a prophylactic for a course of 7-10 days since primary infection is the leading cause of HLP in sugar gliders. Again, the veterinarian will determine the dosage based on the glider's weight. Along with the antibiotic, an antiparasitic should be prescribed (such as Metro) in case the infection is parasitic in nature, rather than bacterial. The veterinarian will continue to examine the glider regularly to monitor the glider's progress. All appointments for follow-up care should be kept. Follow up xrays should be performed 2-3 months from the beginning of treatment to analyze the progress of treatment. Other diagnositic procedures may also be performed at the recommendation of the treating veterinarian.
Static Magnetic Therapy: Does It Really Work?
Static magnetic therapy is the placement of a magnet field on or near the body to enhance healing, relieve pain and improve body function. The idea of magnetism is not new. Early Chinese medical literature claimed healing properties for lodestrone, a naturally magnetic mineral. For centuries, static magnetic therapy has been used by eastern practitioners to relieve pain and swelling, and to induce healing. Since the 1950's, numerous Japanese studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of magnetic fields for treating various conditions. Many magnetic devices are registered with the Japanese Welfare Ministry as medical devices, after undergoing clinical testing at accredited medical institutions to verify their safety and effectiveness. For many years, the Magnetic Health Science Foundation has been meeting annually in Japan to report on the growing body of evidence of the scientific technology of magnetic research. To date, there are now over 300 published articles on magnetic research. But, do magnets really work? The answer may lie in understanding the laws of physics, and in reviewing recent scientific evidence. We are energetic beings surrounded by naturally generated electromagnetic energy, fields of energy which are created by the spinning and moving of electrons and charged particles within the cell.
Some of the early awareness of the importance of electromagnetic energy fields was discovered when the Russian cosmonauts first spent long periods of time on board the Mir space station; they became sick. Their illnesses appeared to be caused by the lack of contact with the magnetic field surrounding the earth. Once the Russian space station was equipped with a magnetism generator, the symptoms disappeared.
All cells within the body are ordered by magnetism; the atoms and molecules are tiny magnets with a positive and negative pole. All communication within the body occurs through electric currents and the electromagnetic frequencies they generate. According to the laws of physics, the first law of electromagnetism states that if an electron or other charged particle is moving it generates a magnetic field. The corollary to this rule is that if an electron or charged particle encounters a magnetic field it must move. So how does this apply to magnetic therapy, healing, and pain? When a person is injured, the body immediately reacts to restore the body to its natural balanced state. In brief, the injured tissue produces a chemical reaction whereby acids are released and chemicals are brought to the injured site to begin a healing process. This chemical reaction leads to swelling which causes pain.
The theory is that when a magnetic field is placed at or near the injured site the electromagnetic field induces a current or charge in the tissues in the body. This charge causes the toxins (acids and other chemicals) to move, the toxins are removed and excreted, and a natural healing state ensues. As this change occurs, the blood flow to the injured site is improved, the swelling is reduced, and pain is alleviated.
Some scientists believe that magnetic therapy causes the body to dispose of waste materials (toxins) more quickly and speeds up the healing process. Numerous studies have been conducted on the effects of static magnetic therapy in Asia and Europe. Recently, scientists in the US have begun reporting their results of the effectiveness of magnetic fields.
Magnetic therapy has been found to be effective in alleviating burning, numbness and tingling, and exercise induced foot pain in patients with diabetic neuropathy (Weintraub 1998, 1999, 2003); in alleviating neuropathic pain in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (Weintraub & Cole 2000); in alleviating pain in people suffering from osteoarthritis in the knees and hips (Harlow 2004, Hinman 2002, Pipitone 2001, Wosko 2004); and in other chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (Segal 2001), fibromyalgia (Alfono 2001, Thomas 2001) and chronic back pain (Collacott 2000). Reduction, and Necrosis in SCID Mice malignant tumors (Short, 1992, 1993). Although the scientific research in the United States is still in the early stages compared to the Asian and European studies, static magnetic therapy has been shown to have no detrimental side effects and has great promise for those suffering from chronic painful conditions. Over the past several years we have included in our research the effects of static Magnetic Fields in animals. Our results thus far have proven the same effects in animals as it has with humans.
Currently, there are several Sugar Gliders that are undergoing static magnetic field therapy, and are benefiting from it. We are seeing results in gliders that are suffering from stress disorders; such as over grooming, loss of fur, and in some instances reduction of self-mutilation. I would like to emphasize that we do not claim to cure physical, emotional, or psychological disorders. We are simply offering an alternative method to non-invasive therapy.
Quarantine
In the office of every vet I've been to, there's a clear container of various parasites from our furry family members. Unfortunately, our gliders aren't see through, like those containers.
Gliders may be riddled with parasites and you won't know it until yours is deathly ill. To make things worse, one glider can spread whatever parasite it has, to other gliders, making them ill too.
UNLESS
You follow safe quarantine procedures.
When you get a new glider, no matter who or where from, the very first thing you need to do, is take it to a glider experienced vet for a checkup. This checkup includes (but is not limited to) a fecal float and smear. A snap fecal test is best, if your vet can do it.
This first test is a baseline. This test may or may not show any parasites. Just because it shows negative for parasites, does not mean your glider is safe.
Parasites have 'shedding cycles'. During those cycles, they can be detected. To catch these cycles, it is absolutely vital that you take your glider in for a second checkup at the end of 30 days.
During those 30 days....
Monthly health check should include:
* Weight in grams. Unexplained weight loss, or gain may be a sign of illness
* Normal sleep schedule (wake up/bed time)
* Appropriate Activity levels. Your sugar glider should be alert, responsive, and active. Be sure the sugar glider isn’t inactive, lethargic, or even overly active.
* Appropriate appetite. Often time, just like a 2 year old, sugar gliders can become picky eaters. However, significant appetite changes may be a sign of a problem.
* Any changes in membranes. (nose, ears, mouth, etc.)
o Ears:
• Free of wax
• Should bounce back when pressed down
• Free of tears or lesions
o Eyes:
• Should Bright, clear, and alert
• Not be sunken in, cloudy, or swollen
• Mouth
• Should be dry
o Nose
• Should be pink, free of mucus, and semi-moist.
* Fur should be soft, fluffy, and smooth. Broken, oily, and/or dull fur may reflect a problem. Check for hydration by gently pulling up the fur on the back of the neck, and releasing it. Fur should bounce back quickly when hydrated. If the fur stays “tented”, the sugar glider is dehydrated. The fur should also be looked over for possible cuts, or other lesions. Fur should not have any unexplained wetness, bald spots, or unusual color.
* Movements, and legs should also be noted. Limping, or not using limbs is a sign of several possible health conditions. The sugar glider will need treated as soon as possible.
* Feet, and nails should also be checked. Feet should be pink, and free of any cuts. Skin should be smooth, not flaky or dry. Nails should be trimmed as often as needed. Usually two/three times a month depending on the sugar glider. Nails should not appear “yellow”, infected, swollen, red, or overly “thick”.
* Tail should be full, fluffy, and flexible. No bends or breaks.
* Stool should be well formed, similar to mouse dropping. Stool that is too hard, or too wet may be a sign of illness.
Joey Rejection & Cannibalization Unfortunately there are many factors that can contribute to joey rejection and/or canalization. It is impossible to say exactly why this happens. Some of the reasons we know of may be preventable, others are not. Here are a few that we are aware of:
1. Poor Diet or Diet Deficiency: Lactating parents require a very special dietary balance with increased amounts of both calcium and protein. Protein and calcium are directly related to the amount of milk the mother can produce. If the mother does not have enough milk production, she may reject or cannibalize her joey(s). It is quite painful for a mother to have a suckling joey on her teat with little milk production, so she may bite at the joey(s), reject or cannibalize them. To avoid this, we recommend following proven diet plans which you can find here. Remember, a sugar glider mother will put herself before her young. If she is lacking necessary vitamins or minerals, she will dispose of her babies for her own survival and health. If your female was recently on an unhealthy diet, wait at least 6 months after getting her on a proven diet before allowing her to breeding.
2. Inexperienced and/or Young Mothers: Sometimes a mother may breed too young, and not be prepared for raising joeys. Young mothers may not have developed the instincts needed to raise her babies successfully. In addition, her body is still growing, and may not be able to support proper lactation to raise healthy babies. A female should be at least 9-12 months before attempting to breed to avoid this.
3. Physical and/or Medical Problem with Joey: Even if the joey(s) may have appeared normal to you, there may have been a problem. Sugar Gliders are very intuitive creatures. Joey(s) that are sickly, genetically deformed, or have other problems may attract predators to the nest. If there is a problem with their young, they will dispose of it as necessary.
4. Stress: Stress can have many effects on a mother as well as the pair/colony. Remember, a mother will not risk her own health for her joey(s). She will reject and/or cannibalize her young if her stress level is too high. Some stress triggers include:
1. Relocating or changing their cage while female has joeys in/out of pouch. Avoid relocating or changing cages (permeate housing changes) while the female has joeys in/out of pouch. New sights and smells will make them more nervous until they establish their new "territory". They may reject or dispose of their young until they deem their new environment safe.
2. Moving the gliders to a new home while the female has joey in/out of pouch. Try to avoid relocating your sugar gliders to a new home if at all possible when a female has joeys in/out of pouch. The new surroundings, smells, and people may cause the gliders to become very defensive and nervous. They may dispose or reject any young until they have established a new territory and feel safe once more.
3. Adding sugar gliders to an established pair/colony or changing a females mate. Introducing new sugar gliders to an established pair/colony is rarely ever recommended, this is especially true when breeding. New males will most likely kill another males joeys to produce his own. Newly introduced females may kill or attempt to steal another females young. Introducing any sugar glider to an established pair/colony can create a break down in "pecking order", cause territorial issues, as well as possible jealousy and dominance problems.
4. Removing the male from the female. Do not remove the male from the female when she has joeys. Males help to raise their young. Mothers are very much dependant on them to baby sit, keep the joey(s)warm, and to help teach the joey(s) what being a glider is all about.
5. Seeing or Smelling another glider outside of her colony. Sugar gliders are very territorial. If you have more than one glider pair/colony in the same room, but in different cages, try using a full cage cover over their cage. This way they will not see each other, and it will help keep their colonies scent within their cage. By doing this the pair will feel more secure in their territory. Placing the cages as far apart as possible, or placing each cage of gliders in a different room will help as well.
6. Mother or joeys being handled with joeys ip/oop before being completely bonded to you. Sugar gliders that are not completely bonded to their human companions may see you as a threat. If you are not completely bonded to the parents, and have had rejection/canalization issues in the past, try waiting to hold the joey until it is 10-14 days out of pouch. After this time period chances of rejection and cannibalization go down. Start off handling the joey in the presence of the parents for short times, and then increase increments as the parents become accustom to you handling their joey(s).
5. Illness: The female will not risk her own health to raise her joey(s). She will reject or cannibalize her young to save or maintain her own health. To help avoid this, take the pair/colony to the vet prior to breeding to ensure there isn't an underlaying health issue. Sugar gliders can easily hide illnesses until it has become extremely advanced.
6. Trio or Colony Settings: Females within a colony setting may fight, steal babies, or attempt to kill each others offspring. Sometimes colonies/trios will work out well with twin sisters or females that have been raise together from a very young age. Please understand that even though the trio/colony works out a few times, it does not mean you are in the clear. Some trios have been noted to work out well for years, and then have severe problems later on.
Hind Leg Paralysis
Also known as HLP, Secondary Metabolic Bone Disease, Hypocalcemia or Calcium Deficiency... all these terms refer to the same condition - the body's inability to properly synthesize calcium, resulting in the bones not getting enough calcium. In severe cases, the calcium is also leached from the muscles, causing paralysis of the hind legs. Although a diagnosis of HLP used to be considered an automatic death sentence, if caught early and proper treatment is administered, HLP can be healed and the sugar glider can continue to lead a long and productive life.
Symptoms:
- Severe shaking
- Apparent dizziness
- Lack of coordination
- Lethargy
- Limping
- Weakness
- Loss of use of hind legs (dragging one or both legs)
- Swollen toes and/or fingers
- Sudden broken bones with no apparent cause
- Joint stiffness
- Sudden, inexplicable weight loss
- Primary bacterial or parasitic infection
- Not enough calcium in the diet
- Mineral imbalance in the diet
- Too much protein in the diet
Causes:
The complete diet of the glider should be evaluated to determine whether or not it may be the cause of HLP. Make sure that your glider is being given a nutritionally complete diet with a balanced Calcium to Phosphorus ratio of 2:1 and that all components of the diet are being eaten. If a glider is picking and choosing their foods and not eating one of the components, the nutritional balance can be thrown off. This was the case with my Pika. She would only eat the proteins being provided and did not eat her fruits and vegetables very much. This over-balance of protein in her diet actually inhibited her body's ability to synthesize the calcium so that although her blood level of calcium was elevated above the normal level, her bones were not receiving that calcium and HLP was the result. The Calcium to Phosphorus ratio of the diet is not the only one to be concerned with. Many vitamins can react adversely with each other. Some will prevent the absorption of certain minerals and vice versa. For example, too much Vitamin C will prevent the absorption of Calcium. In addition, it should be noted that too much Calcium is just as harmful as not enough. When too much Calcium is given to a sugar glider, the result can be kidney stones, crystals in the urine, gall stones and/or Calcium deposits on the bones, joints, muscles and organs. There are several proven diets available. These diets have been devised in consultation with veterinarians and nutritionists to ensure overall nutritional and mineral balances for the complete health of sugar gliders. Any of the proven diets should be followed exactly and you should not "pick & choose" from the various diets and combine them since this will throw off the nutritional balance of the diet. Some of the proven diets available for sugar gliders include:
Diagnosis:
Veterinary diagnosis is needed to determine whether or not a glider does or does not have HLP. A number of tests need to be run at the time of the veterinary examination. The most important tests include:
- Xray - to look for calcification of the joints or weak joints. In a glider with HLP, the joints will appear cloudy and indistinct -as shown in this xray of my glider Pika. (For a more detailed view and analysis of the xray, click on the image to the left.)
- Urinalysis - to determine whether or not a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is present which could be the underlying cause.
- Fecal Float & Smear - to determine whether or not any parasitic infection is present which could be the underlying cause.
Gliders that have been diagnosed as having HLP should be treated with an oral calcium supplement, such as Neocalglucon (only available through a licensed veterinarian). The actual amount administered is determined by the veterinarian based upon the glider's weight. Normal course of treatment with oral calcium supplement is two weeks - although this time may be extended in severe cases. In some cases, the veterinarian will administer an injection of calcium to jump-start the healing process. In addition, an antibiotic should be prescribed. If a specific infection has been found during veterinary examination, an appropriate antibiotic will be prescribed accordingly. If no infection can be found, a broad-spectrum antibiotic (such as Baytril, SMZ-TMP or Clavamox) should still be prescribed as a prophylactic for a course of 7-10 days since primary infection is the leading cause of HLP in sugar gliders. Again, the veterinarian will determine the dosage based on the glider's weight. Along with the antibiotic, an antiparasitic should be prescribed (such as Metro) in case the infection is parasitic in nature, rather than bacterial. The veterinarian will continue to examine the glider regularly to monitor the glider's progress. All appointments for follow-up care should be kept. Follow up xrays should be performed 2-3 months from the beginning of treatment to analyze the progress of treatment. Other diagnositic procedures may also be performed at the recommendation of the treating veterinarian.
Static Magnetic Therapy: Does It Really Work?
Static magnetic therapy is the placement of a magnet field on or near the body to enhance healing, relieve pain and improve body function. The idea of magnetism is not new. Early Chinese medical literature claimed healing properties for lodestrone, a naturally magnetic mineral. For centuries, static magnetic therapy has been used by eastern practitioners to relieve pain and swelling, and to induce healing. Since the 1950's, numerous Japanese studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of magnetic fields for treating various conditions. Many magnetic devices are registered with the Japanese Welfare Ministry as medical devices, after undergoing clinical testing at accredited medical institutions to verify their safety and effectiveness. For many years, the Magnetic Health Science Foundation has been meeting annually in Japan to report on the growing body of evidence of the scientific technology of magnetic research. To date, there are now over 300 published articles on magnetic research. But, do magnets really work? The answer may lie in understanding the laws of physics, and in reviewing recent scientific evidence. We are energetic beings surrounded by naturally generated electromagnetic energy, fields of energy which are created by the spinning and moving of electrons and charged particles within the cell.
Some of the early awareness of the importance of electromagnetic energy fields was discovered when the Russian cosmonauts first spent long periods of time on board the Mir space station; they became sick. Their illnesses appeared to be caused by the lack of contact with the magnetic field surrounding the earth. Once the Russian space station was equipped with a magnetism generator, the symptoms disappeared.
All cells within the body are ordered by magnetism; the atoms and molecules are tiny magnets with a positive and negative pole. All communication within the body occurs through electric currents and the electromagnetic frequencies they generate. According to the laws of physics, the first law of electromagnetism states that if an electron or other charged particle is moving it generates a magnetic field. The corollary to this rule is that if an electron or charged particle encounters a magnetic field it must move. So how does this apply to magnetic therapy, healing, and pain? When a person is injured, the body immediately reacts to restore the body to its natural balanced state. In brief, the injured tissue produces a chemical reaction whereby acids are released and chemicals are brought to the injured site to begin a healing process. This chemical reaction leads to swelling which causes pain.
The theory is that when a magnetic field is placed at or near the injured site the electromagnetic field induces a current or charge in the tissues in the body. This charge causes the toxins (acids and other chemicals) to move, the toxins are removed and excreted, and a natural healing state ensues. As this change occurs, the blood flow to the injured site is improved, the swelling is reduced, and pain is alleviated.
Some scientists believe that magnetic therapy causes the body to dispose of waste materials (toxins) more quickly and speeds up the healing process. Numerous studies have been conducted on the effects of static magnetic therapy in Asia and Europe. Recently, scientists in the US have begun reporting their results of the effectiveness of magnetic fields.
Magnetic therapy has been found to be effective in alleviating burning, numbness and tingling, and exercise induced foot pain in patients with diabetic neuropathy (Weintraub 1998, 1999, 2003); in alleviating neuropathic pain in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (Weintraub & Cole 2000); in alleviating pain in people suffering from osteoarthritis in the knees and hips (Harlow 2004, Hinman 2002, Pipitone 2001, Wosko 2004); and in other chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (Segal 2001), fibromyalgia (Alfono 2001, Thomas 2001) and chronic back pain (Collacott 2000). Reduction, and Necrosis in SCID Mice malignant tumors (Short, 1992, 1993). Although the scientific research in the United States is still in the early stages compared to the Asian and European studies, static magnetic therapy has been shown to have no detrimental side effects and has great promise for those suffering from chronic painful conditions. Over the past several years we have included in our research the effects of static Magnetic Fields in animals. Our results thus far have proven the same effects in animals as it has with humans.
Currently, there are several Sugar Gliders that are undergoing static magnetic field therapy, and are benefiting from it. We are seeing results in gliders that are suffering from stress disorders; such as over grooming, loss of fur, and in some instances reduction of self-mutilation. I would like to emphasize that we do not claim to cure physical, emotional, or psychological disorders. We are simply offering an alternative method to non-invasive therapy.
Quarantine
In the office of every vet I've been to, there's a clear container of various parasites from our furry family members. Unfortunately, our gliders aren't see through, like those containers.
Gliders may be riddled with parasites and you won't know it until yours is deathly ill. To make things worse, one glider can spread whatever parasite it has, to other gliders, making them ill too.
UNLESS
You follow safe quarantine procedures.
When you get a new glider, no matter who or where from, the very first thing you need to do, is take it to a glider experienced vet for a checkup. This checkup includes (but is not limited to) a fecal float and smear. A snap fecal test is best, if your vet can do it.
This first test is a baseline. This test may or may not show any parasites. Just because it shows negative for parasites, does not mean your glider is safe.
Parasites have 'shedding cycles'. During those cycles, they can be detected. To catch these cycles, it is absolutely vital that you take your glider in for a second checkup at the end of 30 days.
During those 30 days....
- Your new glider is to have NO contact with any other gliders in your home, at any time.
- For tent time, the tent, and contents, must be throughly sanitized between gliders.
- You are to change clothing and wash your hands and arms between handling the new glider and your other glider(s).
- The new glider is to be in a separate room from your other glider(s).
- Food dishes, toys, pouches, cages, wheels, are to be washed separately and kept separate from each other.
- Check the pooh of the new glider, every morning and every night, for any changes.
- This regime must be followed for the full 30 days. At the end of that time, repeat the fecal test. If it shows negative, you may begin intros with your other glider(s).
- Because parasites are so easily transmitted through our skin, through our other animals or on fruits & veggies, it is an excellent idea to have a fecal test done monthly.