2019 - 2020 Little Olive 380gms - 3rd May 2021 died from viral encephalitis

Little Olive, rescued by Oliver and his dad 

Olive at 380gms is another Roadkill orphan and was rescued by young Oliver. She's a tiny thing and has had alot of trouble initially staying warm as they often do if found very cold.  

Olive had an bacterial infection in her gut, probably from her dead mum and trying to drink milk that was no longer fresh.  In little ones its a big issue and can take a while to get these incoming issues under control. 

She's loving her bottle and to be held warm against the hotbed cupped in your hand and has a milk sleep during her bottle. 

Olive has been a mission to save, its taken weeks to be able to settle her body from being so cold, were amazed no organs had died. She has become a good little drinker and after the first few weeks of 3 hourly feeds 24 hrs a day straight after the bushfire had totally exausted me.  

 She progressed nicely not liking cuddles at all, wiggling around, just happy to be wrapped securely in her bag. First forward to June and she is the master of the 1.4 second cuddle after her bottle. She' a funny looking thing with an very uneven grown face, but as cute as a button and very intelligent. She knows her name and comes when called, she loves her bag and box in her wombat pen in in the house still. And enjoys a romp outside in the nursery enclosure, we stay with her as its not dingo proof and we have had one appear within 3 metres when we were in the pen with her

Yes all pens are full awaiting spring summer to release 5 more wombats. 

Olive has grown quickly loving her milk and eating grass and hay. she's a lovely wombat 

 Burrow One of olives buddies  dies 10th March 202. Has had a sudden weight loss not eating or drinking. She goes nurologically blind and other nurological issues unable to swollow, loss of co ordination and out of it. She dies in my arms  Pathology comes back suspected toxoplasmosis cocci. ??? 

Sadly in late April started to suddenly lose weight and was bought into our ICU pen and died 3 days Days later. we had an necropsy done at Crookwell vet with many pathology samples sent to Sydney University Pathology whom specialise in wildlife, 3 mouths later after many pathologists discussion and brain samples sent to overseas specialist they cannot determine why She died and what has made the changes in her brain, nothing that they know about. Were heartbroken and very sad Willow is buried with Bille and Olive whom also died from the same thing in the following weeks despite alot of help from vets including Dr Howard Ralph a sad puzzle.  

They were definant that there were no toxo or parasites. 

May 3rd 

We moved Billie although still well into ICU and she was eating grass ok not real well first week also treated for cocci and strongolidies just in case still awaiting pathology from Olive a visit with Dr howard Ralph added treatment for toxo, bloods done decal float etc found nothing wrong. NO Paracites  then suddenly 5 days later sudden weight loss no poo and refusing to eat. continued contact with Dr Howard till he was next in Braidwood. By then she was not doing well. We blended grass lectaid multisite glucose and syringe fed and kept her hydrated. Howard shocked she had gone from 14kg to 11 in space of 7 days. Bloods and poos still fine.  She died early next morning massive grand mal fits we tried, Warwick drove straight to Howards for necropsy. Nothing found so more pathology sent off 

Burrow is buried with Bille and Olive whom also died from the same thing in the following weeks despite alot of help from vets including Dr Howard Ralph a sad puzzle.

This is also happening in the wild on the Tableands where we live and we know on a number of wild wombats on the southern highlands getting over 2 weeks or even a week suddenly very this , going neurologically blind, unable to smell and death within 24hrs of this final stage .  

Final comments from syd uni pathology Despite a meeting of all vets and sending brain samples ( Brain showed some changes) there is no cause of death its a mystery 

 Dr Howards opinion now after the final and third wombat died was viral encephalitis, nothing we could have done would have saved them as symptoms show so late.