From:
Debbie Hunton
Date: 2007-06-27 02:27:43 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Strange Symptoms in Young Ferret
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I posted this to the FML previously, and have gotten a few questions, which=
I've answered and included below.
=20=20
The vet appt is on Thursday, so any suggestions on what it might be would=
be appreciated.
=20=20
=20=20
Our 3-year old DEW/Silver (?) MF male, Whitey, was discovered this mornin=
g (Sunday) with some problems. A wierd combination, none apparently life-th=
reatening, and I don't trust the emergency vet, so am waiting until we can =
get in to our regular vet this week. But I wanted your opinion on what it c=
ould be.
He is carrying his right rear leg up. He's not dragging it, but keeping it =
curled under him and walking on 3 legs. I took a short digital video and ca=
n send it to anyone interested in viewing it. It's time for nail-trimming, =
so it's possible he caught a nail and hurt (sprained? dislocated?) his leg,=
although there's no sign of it on his nails. They have a large cage, but t=
here are very few places he could have fallen any distance. Later note: t=
he foot looked fine (not discolored or swollen) Sunday and Monday, but toda=
y appears to have begun swelling a little. It=92s not bloated, but just a =
bit swollen.
Also, his left eye appears a little swollen, athough that appearance may ju=
st be because there's some dark "staining" around it. What the darkness loo=
ks like... when a cat I know got an eye infection, and it was oozing. But t=
here's no drainage at Whitey's eye that we can see. And this may be just u=
s overreacting because of the leg. Later note: No, it=92s definitely stai=
ned. Almost seems he's a little light-sensitive, although it may just be a=
matter of , "Daddy, I'm tired, let me sleep."
Lastly, he's lethargic. He will get up and walk around, but isn't playing l=
ike usual. He's eating ok, and drinking fine. With 7 in the cage, we didn't=
notice Saturday if he was peeing & pooping good, but we'll watch that toda=
y. Later note: He=92s not going all the way to his litter box, but volume=
, color, odor, etc of both pee and poo are good. Going does not seem to ca=
use him any pain or struggle.
He does have a thinning tail which started less than a month ago, so we sus=
pect adrenal problems, and planned on a regular visit in July, and thought =
it could wait until then. The vet, I=92m sure, will bring this up when he =
goes in this week.
Any thoughts on what might be going on with Whitey would be appreciated.
>Does is seem painful for him? Could it be insulinoma?
=20=20
I don't think I'd use the word "pain" but instead "discomfort." Makes me=
think of when one of my joints feels like it should "crack" but it won't, =
if that helps you picture it. It's hard for him to walk because he hasn't =
figured out how to balance on only one rear leg, but he doesn't seem weak, =
just un-coordinated with using just the one back leg instead of walking on =
two. He pushes against my hand with his left rear leg at full strength, so=
no generalized rear-end weakness or pain, just the one leg.
=20=20
We have one (7 year old male) with insulinoma, so we're at least familiar=
with those symptoms, and this seems really different.
=20=20
=20
=20
My husband thought a stroke, but I don't know if ferrets even can have st=
rokes...
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