From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2005-07-01 18:25:12 UTC
Subject: RE: Has anyone had experience with this ?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1462840.1120242312472.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Sadly, there is a chance that there is lymphoma in the spinal cord. This is what it was like for Meeteetse. For her Prednisolone and Torb were the essential quality of life meds, and she got quite a lot of months with them. (Yes, it pretty well destroyed a carpet we can't afford to replace yet and we wound up also springing for a wheelchair -- if you get the Doggon one DO be sure to get the front extender when a ferret has this sort of problem -- but she was well worth it.)
You can read about or see pantyhose slings and various types of mobility carts in the archives
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
http://www.smartgroups.com/pictures/listalbums.cfm?GID=1423922
for example
http://www.smartgroups.com/pictures/openalbum.cfm?GID=1423922&AlbumID=4031129
and
http://www.smartgroups.com/pictures/openalbum.cfm?GID=1423922&AlbumID=2241065
and
http://www.smartgroups.com/pictures/openalbum.cfm?GID=1423922&AlbumID=4163561
and I think maybe in
http://www.smartgroups.com/vault/ferrethealth/Old%20YahooGroup%20Pics/?action=list&search=&searchFor=&viewtype=Detailed&viewType=Detailed&sort=type&dir=asc&shownum=20&startRow=1
(Those are the old photos from Yahoogroups in
http://www.smartgroups.com/vault/ferrethealth
One inventive one for a ferret with a weak back that was used by one member (Sorry, but I don't recall who.) was a very light weight small rodent cage with the bottom removed and openings cut in front and back. 360' casters were attached to each corner, and a padded sling hung down to support not only the ferret, but also a second sling provided lift for the ferret's tail which was wasn't working.
Pantyhose slings are easy to make. Select the length of the pantyhose for your own height(s). Buying colors helps tell apart the slings so no one will be getting a sore back from stooping. Roll the top into a handle and sew or tie it into that loop. Sew the feet together into a hammock for the ferret's belly. All done.
I hope that this is not a spinal cord malignancy but that needs to be considered as a possibility.