From:
Heather Williams
Date: 2010-03-16 19:51:53 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Arthitis or something more?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I have a (nearly) 5yo male ferret, Peppie,=A0who seems to be showing signs =
of arthritis.=A0 I have searched the archives for information and am findin=
g conflicting answers.=A0 A few posts say ferrets do not get arthritis, a f=
ew posts say they can=A0at a sight=A0of previous injury.=A0 When=A0Peppie=
=A0was just short of a year old he had an accident resulting in=A0the dislo=
cation of a back leg.=A0 It has been so long ago, and he healed so well=A0I=
don't remember which leg!=A0
=A0
However, this past weekend I traveled=A0to my parent's place=A0with him and=
3 other ferrets in all the yucky rainy weather happening on the east coast=
.=A0 He started showing signs of discomfort in the form of not being able t=
o climb well in the cage=A0while I=A0was there.=A0 His travel conditions ar=
en't super but they're the best I can do in a small car.=A0 I put all 4 of =
my ferrets in a dog carrier with a litter pan and blankets when I travel.=
=A0 At my parent's place, they have a Marshall's medium sized, multi-level =
ferret cage they share.=A0 When I'm at my own place they share a 2-story Fe=
rret Nation cage.=A0 Outside of his cage he was...clumsy.=A0 He'd walk fine=
until it came time to turn around and he'd stumble, lay down and look sad,=
then get back up and try again.=A0=A0He'd eventually get where he wanted t=
o go but he=A0certainly didn't want to play.=A0 This morning he had trouble=
getting all his feet to go in the same direction when he first woke up.=A0=
=A0
He's=A0deaf and a very sound sleeper.=A0=A0He was startled awake this morn=
ing by another ferret.=A0=A0He stood with his back left paw tucked under sl=
ightly but=A0when he walked he fixed it on his own.=A0 He really just acted=
stiff but wanted=A0out.=A0 He made it down to the=A0first level=A0for brea=
kfast and then back up to his bed.=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0
=A0
He's on metronidazole (sp?) for an upset tummy (which=A0he's had many times=
over the years) that started after the=A0loss of his cagemate=A0and he abs=
olutely hates it!=A0 He cries and throws himself around (which I'm sure doe=
sn't help any part of his body)=A0and foams at the mouth after I give him t=
he antibiotic.=A0 Then he pouts and wants nothing to do with me for a while=
.=A0 His symptoms of tummy trouble included diarrhea and eventually loss of=
=A0appetite, teeth=A0grinding and bad breath!=A0 He's now drinking and eati=
ng=A0kibble on his=A0own again so I don't want to stop the antibiotic until=
the full course is complete (another 4 days).=A0
=A0
My question is:=A0=A0Could Peppie be suffering from arthritis at the sight =
of his=A0injury?=A0 If yes, what can I do for him?=A0 If no, what else coul=
d be going on?
=A0
Heather=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0
=20=20=20=20=20
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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