From:
motorcityferrets@hotmail.com
Date: 2005-10-13 04:58:55 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Update: Stray with red nose, paws
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Well, it's been about 7 hours since little Miss arrived. We think we've learned more...
She was found at the bottom of a drainage ditch. It's been raining all day by the way...so who knows what has washed into the ditches. She has the bright red nose, which is totally dry and painful. I bathed her about an hour ago (since she had muck in her fur and kept licking - I was afraid of what might be lurking in the fur) and she has the bright red paws, which sure look burned to me. The redness is not solid...patchy on the paws. Further, her legs, arms, chest and pelvis areas are also red and angry looking (she's a very dark sable, so I missed most of the redness until I got her wet). Her ears and gums are normal color.
I'm happy to report that little Miss seems to be feeling better! She's had a walk around the place (limited to two rooms) and keeps going to the water dish. FAR less dehydrated than when she first arrived, for sure. While I said her weight was good, in fact she's a bit bony on the spine and hips...but nothing major - especially for a stray.
Touching the paws, nose or even the reddened skin areas seems to bother her...but then she is really quite the trooper. We used a gentle oatmeal shampoo in the water only and did a long soak with gentle waves - no scrubbing. Upon rinsing we could get a better look at the skin. I then "squeeze" dried her - that is, no rubbing...only about 15 receiving blankets to soak up the moisture. She had another drink and settled in for another nap. She is now able to tuck herself in as she wishes...while before she was barely moving.
And she peed and pooped about 3 hours ago! YAY! So I guess those kidneys are working after all! Her poopie was black and scary looking...but that's no surprise. I managed to get ahold of one good ferret vet, who obviously hasn't seen her but gave me some thoughts - plus a visiting friend who is a dog groomer had thoughts as well. My friend the dog groomer said she sees many dogs with red nose and paws from walking through freshly "Chemlawn-ed" lawns...and the vet seconded that notion, adding perhaps t'was rain motivated run-off of all the lawns that are being prepped for Michigan winter right now. Vet's opinion was that a chemical encounter was the most likely source of trouble at this point, from what I was able to describe. Sure seems to have hit her in all the right spots for grass or water she walked through containing chemicals.
Tomorrow I hope to learn what I might put on these apparent chemical burns to help heal...I must say I am mighty proud of this little gal. She is so amenable to all my mothering, which must be torture for her at this point. :(
An 8-year old found little Miss. He was kneeling down and just looking at her...and then he brought her over to Mom. Mom didn't immediately know what she was so she told son to put that thing down! But he said "Mom, look at her...she's obviously not feeling well. Can't we help her?" Isn't that something? Then they started driving and came first to a pet shop. Mom confirmed she had a ferret and the gal she happened to speak with was a ferret owner. The gal said sure enough the critter needed medical attention right away (she sure looked like hell) and called her husband to look up our number online hee hee...small world, great networking and little Sir who took the time to help this gal surely saved her life!!! I'm always so happy when things like this happen...while I"m horrified to see her so unhappy and worried she might die, I am once again given hoep for the world when one so young does such a good job! :)
Nanci
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