From:
SWDFIGHTR@aol.com
Date: 2001-05-14 17:52:00 UTC
Subject: VERY SICK FERRET, PLEASE HELP
Hello, I am hoping someone here can help me. My six month old ferret
Chucky is extreamly ill and my vet can't figure out what is wrong
with him.I will describe his problem.
He was extreamly healthy and active...although mabye a bit thinner
until Thurs.On thusday when I came home from work my boyfriend told
me Chucky acted funny when he took him out of the cage when he got
home from work. He said he looked like he was having a bit of trouble
walking and was falling over. When I got home about an hour after
Randy did Chucky was perfectly fine. He was eating well and full of
energy so I didn't worry about him.
The next day (friday)when we took him out of the cage he was listless
and was having trouble walking and trouble using his front legs so I
became worried about him. I held him and talked to him and he got
better and after a few hours he was running around like allways.I
thought is was something in his cage that was making him sick since
he was fine after being out of his cage , but we planned on taking
him to the vet on Monday anyway to be sure he was o.k.(his cage is a
wire cage with cedar chips under the grating, a hammock, towel, food
bowl and water bottle)
Since his problems were only happening when he was in the cage we
decided not to put him in the cage for the night.
The next day (sat.)I looked for him all around the house and found
him under a dresser and he seemed to be having a seizure. We rushed
him to the emergency vet and he has been there since.
Yesterday (sunday) I went to visit him and by the time I left he was
running around the office and eating chicken like he was starving. I
called the vet at midnight last night before I went to bed( there is
someone there 24 hours)and they said he was doing great, He was
eating well and playing in his cage.
This morning the vet called and said he took a turn for the worse and
when I saw him this afternoon he was not moving at all he would only
open his eyes a little.
The vet did bloodwork and the results were all normal including the
sugar levels. They also took X-rays that were normal. He was given
charchol , fluid and anti-biotics.Today she is going to give him
calcium for zinc or lead poisoning as a last effort..
I have two female ferrets that stay in a diffent cage who are
perfectly heathy and show no signs of Chucky's problem.
If anyone could please help us or at least diagnose the problem it
may help to save one of the sweetest male ferrets on this earth.We
searched for months to find just the right male to add to out family
and I will try anything to save him, he is worth it to us. Thank-you
Cathy (my email is SWDFIGHTR@a... and my phone number is (610)284-
5032)