From:
cheekey18@hotmail.com
Date: 2001-04-11 16:04:00 UTC
Subject: adds: kits with hind leg weakness
Hi - I essentially agree with what Dr. Karen & Alicia and others had
to say
regarding your kit with hindquarter weakness. I note when you
purchased him,
he was approx. 6-7 weeks and now 8-9 weeks. The most likely cause is
trauma
to the back or hips. Also, sometimes vaccinations given in the
region of the
lower back can cause damage to the bundle of nerves from the spin to
the
legs. At his age, he is a bit young to do an ADV test since the
recommendation for both the Elisa and CEP test is for ferrets at
least 12-13
weeks.
I have a couple of other thoughts. When he is out and about, is he
on a wood
or tile floor? Sometimes kits "flatten" themselves on slick floors.
It is
also possible that he never really learned to walk if he was raised
in a wire
cage - or injury went undetected. He should be evaluated by a ferret
savy
vet and possibly you might want to try him on a course of prednisone -
per
your vet - to see if he does improve. Does he have any problem with
incontinence? If he makes it to a corner or a litter box - damage
might not
be that extensive
Hi Meg,
The kit was more like 5-6 weeks. I also was concerned that it
may have been due to sciatic nerve damage from improperly given
vaccines. But the vet I spoke to did not believe so.
I also thought that perhaps he never learned to walk due to being
caged,I was told he came from a farm but could not get any other info
on that. Everyone denies he came from "their" place.
He is not incontinent, in fact he has essentially been litter
box trained since the first few days at a rate of about 95% accuracy.
One note is that he does not back into the corner as I had seen with
my previous ferrets. He gets in the box and just does it.
As for walking him, I've tried to keep him on rough or rugged
surfaces and he basically walks with a lil wobble till he wants to
scurry off, then he just drags himself. And believe me he is quick.
I also note that at times he will begin "walking " by dragging
himself and if I pick up his hind legs as positon him he uses them
till again he tries to run or he is frightened. I have a dryer tube
and he runs thru it like greased lightening. Its a perplexing case.
Emily