Message Number: FHL12084 | New FHL Archives Search
From: "Vicky Burdick"
Date: 2010-08-21 17:47:33 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] my 5 yr old boy ferret is very thin & sick - please help
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com

I dont kno where else to go & need help - my 5 yr old boy ferret Timon got really sick 3 weeks ago.

he wouldnt come out of his bed - lethargic, weaving his head, dehydrated....just not himself. Took him to the E-vet & they gave sub-Q fluids & sent me home w/amoxicillin b/c I didnt have the $2000 to pay for all sorts of tests. (he did get a blood test run & that was good/normal & they said he doesnt hav insulinoma). he took the amoxi 2x/day for 10 days, I had to hand feed him soft food w/an eyedropper ev 4 hours the whole week. he stil went to the bathroom but had lost a TON of weight & had probs going to the bathroom one day for over an hour. he already took Science Diet a/d but will only eat about 1 eyedropper full & then hes done. he got a tiny bit better but was pretty much getting thinner & stayed sick for 9 days....then out of the blue he got up, went to the potty & proceeded to bury his face in his bowl of crunchy food & devour it...this continued for a week...him eating normally again, normal stools, normal treat eating, playing, gaining weight.

at the end of the week he became slo & lethargic again & went back & forth from day to day being 'normal' & strong enough to travel the various levels of his cage to being lethargic other days & sleeping a lot, drinking a lot & not eating....then half way thru the week he was normal again & playing w/toys & gaining weight.

last nite after work he was sick again & seems even more lethargic & weak than the nite he was at the E-vet. he drinks lots of water but hasnt gone to the potty. he wont eat his crunchy food or take treats so I tried some soft food (Science Diet a/d for quick weight gain as suggested by my reg ferret vet) thru an eyedropper & he only took one dropper full. he rested a bit & got what seemed to be the dry heaves. . . looked like he would vomit several diff times but hed swallow whatever tried to come out & was even pawing at his own mouth on the inside a few times. I felt so helpless...I tried giving some ferret lax in case hes having trouble going to the bathroom but he only took a little. he is so thin & weak he can barely keep his head up but hes a tough little fighter & still drinks water and walks around slowly.

I have no idea what is wrong with him. hes not losing hair. he had long sections of time he seemed 'back to normal'. the E-vet had already said his blood is fine & its not insulonma. hes not having seizures. he has been 'licking' a lot....smacking his lips/mouth like hes eating or drinking but does this when theres nothing in his mouth (not sure what this is as he has full access to water & soft food) when he DOES eat he has normal stools. hes just not gaining weight back & I can feel his bones & I dont know whats wrong or what to do.

I dont have thousands of dollars to run tests or do medical procedures. Im nearly broke after the E-vet already & dont know where else to go. Can someone please help me? Its really heartbreaking holding him and not knowing what I should do or how I should help him?

he lives alone (since his cagemate passed away suddenly last fall in Nov) & hes never had problems til now. this morning he drank minimal water, took only a couple drops of duk soup from they eyedropper & went back to sleep.

I dont know where else to go.
Can someone please help me?



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