Possum Clinic
Within a three-day period in October 2009 there was a series of
possum crises: the first possum showed up with a badly damaged toe
and inflamed foot, the second possum (a young male) was killed by a
car, and the third possum arrived with a staph infection on his face.
Several hours after the arrival of the third possum, GK had to leave
on a work trip for a couple of weeks. I was on my own to try to treat
the two possums who remained alive. Both possums at that time were
irregular visitors, and for antibiotics to be effective it is best
that they be administered daily. The female with the dead toe, Kiki,
had a baby at that time. The baby was no longer nursing, but
when she was not off on her own she was following her mother around,
and trying to take her food from her, as young possums generally
do. [Note: possum 'hands' are technically front feet.]
A possum can develop a staph infection when its immune system is not
functioning at optimal levels due to stress. Usually this stress is
related to having to fight for territory. A relatively minor cut or
scratch does not heal, but becomes increasingly ulcerated, the possum
loses fur, the skin is badly affected, the infection spreads and the
possum can't recover (a staph infection can signal the beginning of
the end).
From sunset to sunrise, I would take books, notepaper, (some of the
books I read and notes that appear in this new extension to xesce.net
were what occupied me during those nights) to the livingroom and wait
for Kiki and Švejk. The livingroom opens on to the balcony which
the possums find convenient to visit. When they arrived, there was
often a disorganized rushing around as I tried to measure antibiotics
into a syringe, then squirt that into food, watch the possum until
the food was consumed, meanwhile chasing off/feeding other possums
who might try to interfere or take medication not meant for them. I
also tried to take photos to document progress.
It was an immense relief to be able to give each possum a full course
(10 days) of antibiotics, but after that there was still a period of
waiting to see the effects, and there was stress related to our
attempts to surgically remove Kiki's dead toe. We kept trying each
opportunity we got, but in the end we were lucky: the toe either
dropped off itself, or Kiki chewed it off.
If the source of stress that led to infection does not disappear,
does it make sense to treat a male possum who will continue to face
stressful conditions? Most local vets euthanise all possums who have
even minor problems, under the rationale that it is kinder that they
not have a long, drawn-out, stressful death.
However, Švejk not only made a full recovery, he actually seems
more confident now than before. About a month after receiving
antibiotics, most of his fur had grown back. As the fur on his face
grew back, GK would often remark that his coat in an overall sense
looked 'glossy' or 'lustrous'.
Kiki has managed to cope well with the loss of a toe. It took
approximately 5 weeks from the time of discovery of the dead toe
until the time the toe was gone and the foot healing well. She
recently visited with a new baby, and both looked very
healthy.
Both Kiki and Švejk have more time, and appear to have a good
quality of life.