From:
tilfairy
Date: 2002-05-27 01:56:00 UTC
Subject: BLEEDING EAR - PLEASE HELP
Hiya all,
I hope you and your babies are well...
OK, the problem, one of my 3 year old sable girls has had what I can
only really describe as a stroke, (have checked all info in the
archives and it appears that strokes have never been proven in
ferrets so this is just a guess). She lost all strength in her back
legs and kept falling over, (this is now very much better and she can
walk almost perfectly again). However, last night I noticed that her
right ear is full of dried blood. So I washed it gently with salt
water and cleaned out all the dry stuff and had a good look, I can't
see any sign of a tare or a scratch or anything which looks like it
would bleed, just a normal ferret ear :-( I put a bit of styptic
powder on it and the bleeding didn't continue last night, but when I
got up and checked her this morning there was more dry blood in her
ear. I am really worried about her, she's my baby and has been with
me through so many hard times, I couldn't bare to lose her although I
will do what is best by her...
She has not been scratching the ear but it is irritating her, her
head is continuiously leaning to the right, the side which is
bleeding, and this in turn is effecting her balance. She is eating
and drinking fine and her stools are 100% normal. I can't figure out
why her ear is bleeding unless it is something to do with
this "stroke"? if a ferret can have one. She did display all the
signs, ie loss of movement down the right side of her body etc but
everything I have read has said strokes in ferrets don't happen or
exist! However, this is not so much of a problem as her walking is
now fine barring the head leaning to the right which I think is
something to do with her ear...
Unfortunatly her vet only works 3 days a week, Wed, Thurs and Fri,
she has an appointment for 1st thing Wed but I would like some
oppinions, advice on what I should do untill then.
Sorry for the length of the post but I'm so worried about her and her
7 brothers and sisters don't know what to do with themselves, she was
always the mummy and now they are looking after her.
Please, please help
Any info will be greatly appreciated
Dooks and wardances
Tilda and the crazy eight