From:
Gail Elsey
Date: 2003-04-19 11:41:30 UTC
Subject: Swimming Therapy
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-id: <6270929.1050772808794.JavaMail.nobody@magnesium>
I am not sure about the U of TN panel, but a botched spay would cause
the
vulva to swell, not the hair loss, according to my vet
Gail
To: "FerretHeathList" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>,
<hferretluv@msn.com>
From: "katharine" <katharine@nettally.com>
Message-ID: <001c01c30668$9f53a390$62102cc7@D1CW2811>
>On ferret swimming? How did you get the little ferret to swim if he is we=
ak? =
I have done swimming therapy with an opossum who developed metabolic bone d=
isease (MBD). In addition to swimming, we did climbing and range of motion=
exercises (along with a strict diet). He was later able to be released ba=
ck into the wild, so it must have worked.
Here's how I was told to do the swimming by the vet I was consulting with. =
I used a large sink in my garage since it is deep, but the tub is probably=
better, Fill it with warm/comfortable water deep enough that they can't t=
ouch bottom. Put the animal in and they will instinctively start paddling.=
That's all you want them do to; they are exercising their legs. If they=
are tentative or weak, gently support them under the abdomen. They will s=
till paddle. I try to keep them in at least 5-10 minutes at the time. (Un=
fortunately, opossums like to poop the second they see water so our session=
s didn't always last that long. LOL)
I can't speak to the percentage of improvement. In my case, Caleb went fro=
m being "down in the rear" to being able to walk and climb again. It took =
2-3 months in his case. I got awful attached to him during that time and i=
t was hard to release him.
Katharine