Message Number: SG11757 | New FHL Archives Search
From: sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-12-08 17:49:01 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: Hindleg weakness
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <7353556.1102528141479.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>

>until now. Now it seems to go out to the
>side instead of ini front when he walks.

Sounds like he is having muscle loss and problems that arise from that. Edema can also force a limb to jut out but then it is usually both limbs and they get like they have sausage shaped little rods rather than skinny ones which are more flexible. With advancing serious disease it is not unusual to see lack of muscle tone, weakness, balance problems, poor proprioception (knowing where your body is), and sometimes tightening of tendons cause problems and even create discomfort of their own. Gentle exercise, gentle massage (esp. useful with peripheral edema or with cramping extremities), and taking the limbs through range of motion exercises, often in a tub with warm water, can help many such ferrets.