From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2007-09-04 18:17:17 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Adrenal Surgery
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Really, really important: NO CLIMBING
Years ago I was curious why so many people tended to lose ferrets after they came home
post-op. (This was after vets went to using gas and keeping ferrets warm enough during
and after surgery so there weren't the risks that injectables can pose and the hypothermia
risk people used to run into decades ago.)
The thing is that losing the ferrets seemed to run in households, so I wanted to find out
what they did that was different.
Here are some of the things that tended to go wrong: most common difference was that
those who died post op tended to be allowed to become too active too soon. Climbing
(even ramps) were commonly listed activities, but hard play and active temper tantrums
also were in there.
Tip: injected pain control meds not help the ferret feel better and heal better but some of
them (opiate ones) also will slow down the ferret so if one is too anxious the calming
effect helps healing.
So, no climbing! Let the ferret rest for at least 7 days, preferably for at least 10 days.
Dehydration and not eating. They tend to go together because a dehydrated ferret can't
smell the food well so is less likely to eat. Many ferrets do best with a soup of meat baby
food and warmed water or a/d and warmed water post-op. Check gums for tackiness
(bad) and skin for tenting beyond normal (bad).
Unsupervised times with other ferrets: Imagine someone walking on or flopping down on a
your own brand new incision and recently moved-around insides. Some animals are very
careful and don't cause problems for others, but some are that unaware, and some have
even been known to remove stitches from others. (One of ours was among the ferrets who
have tried to do that or actually have done that.)
If you are worried about the ferret removing his own stitches ask the vet to top off the
stitches with surgical glue. Works wonderfully.
Wound infection:
Tip: use newspaper for waste instead of a litter box till the wound heals. That also will
reduce climbing and abrasion.
Watch the wound. Bruising is normal; infection is not. Do not stop the post-op antibiotics
prematurely unless the vet tells you to do so for a health reason.
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