Hi all!
 
This last week Fidget has been sick.  She stopped eating without
encouragement, stopped playing and would go right back to sleep after I
managed to poke some food down her.  She was still pooping okay if a little
runny.  We have a very ferret knowledgeable vet, so off to the vet's we
went (Sunday).  She was thoroughly examined (no apparent blockages) and had
bllod drawn for a ferret panel.  We started her on precautionary Clavamox
(sp?), first an injection and then orally twice a day, and I took home AD
and Nutrical and mixed up a version of duck soup....very watery as she
wasn't drinking much.  Monday I took her in early for a fasting blood sugar
and they fed and watched her.  She had another antibiotic injection and
was catheterized for fluids and nutrients.  Her blood panel came back and
everything was well within the normal range except for her electrolytes.
Dr. Sue said that was to be expected as her eating habits and diet had
changed and she had a mild case of diarrhea.  Dr. Sue ended up taking her
home for the night for observation.  Tuesday she seemed to have improved
and she went home with me that night.
 
She is still not back to par, but I have seen improvement.  For a while she
shunned anything solid, even mushy solids, but now she's starting to chew
again and I don't have to dig her out of her hidey hole to feed her every
time.  This morning she was even up playing with Fannie a little when I
got up.....things are looking up.......
 
Now, finally, my question -
 
I know that shivering is common in waking ferrets and has to do with
raising their body temperature, however, neither of mine has ever done it
before.  Now Fidget is shivering a lot when she first wakes up.  She also
is a little unsteady on her feet and staggers a bit.  By the time she is
finished eating (still the duck soup), she is steadier and the shivers have
just about worn down.  Has anybody experienced this with a furkid before?
Do you think she is actually shivering to raise her body temp, even tho
this is a new behavior?  BTW, she is about 1 1/2 years old.
 
I have a call in to her vet to ask the same question, but I will be
interested in hearing of your experiences.
 
Please e-mail me at [log in to unmask], as well as on the FML for
those who are interested in your answers.
 
Thanks so much-
Paula........and Fidget&Fannie
[Posted in FML issue 3043]