From:
sukiec@optonline.com
Date: 2003-03-30 14:06:24 UTC
Subject: acupuncture treatment results
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <6177365.1049045995787.JavaMail.root@scandium>
We have had some ferrets, not many, who needed enlarged spleens to come out. Of those one had lymphoma there and it had spread.
Some other times we have had rounds of antibiotics reduce splenic size.
At times we have done gentle massage (only when okayed by vet for those individuals) which brings down the size temporarily.
Certainly, in our home enlarged spleens with age have not been unusual though certainly not universal. Most have not had to come out, but if they presented wrong -- just too large, or with uneven margins, or lumps, etc. then there has been surgery if the vet felt that it was the best shot for the individual at the time.
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>,
<ferrethealthcare@smartgroups.com>
From: "Mike Janke" <mjanke@miamiferret.org>
Message-ID: <000f01c2f6c5$965aabb0$6401a8c0@laptop>
I recently wrote to ask if anyone had any experience with acupuncture
with their ferret. No one replied with any detailed information, so I
figured I'd have to be the one to find out if it had any benefit, or
more accurately, Spaz would. I'm not a big believer in alternative
medicine, but I feel that if all else has failed, and it's something
that can cause no harm, I'm open minded.
We took Spaz in for his first treatment about three weeks ago and it did
not go smoothly. While it didn't appear that inserting the little
needles caused any discomfort, he just plain didn't like remaining still
enough for this to be very successful. Restraining him made him fight
all that much more and it was a battle and my vet was having to
constantly reinsert the needles. I brought my camera along to document
the session, silly me. I didn't have a free moment to take even one
photo.
Our second session went much better. I spoke to a friend about our
ordeal and she suggested T-Touch (Tellington Touch?) as a method to
relax Spaz prior to the session. Well here we go, another off-the-wall
approach about which I was a bit skeptical. Still, I figured what do I
have to lose and I tried it, albeit a bit akwardly I thought. It
appeared to me that I wasn't doing anything but irritating him even
more, however, this second session went much more smoothly! I was
convinced it was only because we allowed him to remain in his travel
cage where he might have felt a bit more secure. The top opens
completely so it was easy to work from above.
By the time the third session was due, my wife and I though that he
appeared to be walking slightly better. A little less of a limp. We
attributed it to our strong desire to see an improvement and wishful
thinking. When I went in this past Thursday, I told my vet I though he
might be showing some improvement, but she was doubtful because if there
is going to be improvement, it's usually four or more sessions before
even slight improvement is seen. She was amazed when I set him down on
the room floor and he walked around quite well. She was very surprised
to see such an improvement after only two sessions, so I guess it wasn't
just our wishful thinking.
The third session went horrible. I had not tried the T-Touch thing this
time because I had associated his willingness last time with being in
his travel cage, not my clumsy attempt at T-Touch. Didn't work this
time! He fought it so much that he was hyperventilating and we had to
quit the session without progressing very far.
That's where we are so far. Next Thursday will be his next session, and
I guess I'll try the T-Touch thing again for lack of any other thing to
do to relax him. Another, what I would normally consider oddball,
treatment is "Rescue Remedy" and perhaps I'll try that too. It's
another one of those, "It can't hurt" things so why not. Further
reports as we progress.
mike