>house).  In the past week, he's lost some control of his back legs.
>When he's walking across our slick oak floor, he can't keep his back
>feet under him.  He ends up flat on his tummy, doing a little push-up
>with his front legs and swishing his back legs until he moves onto the
>carpet.  Once he's on the carpet, he's fine (although he's still a
 
This describes Otto, a ferret I once had, perfectly.  He started having
trouble with his back legs when he was six (oddly, he also had the same
personality that you describe Oliver as having -- and his playful buddy,
Eric, had died six months earlier of a heart murmur!).  I sensed it was the
beginning of the end for poor Otto (it was, actually), and was afraid he'd
have to be put to sleep or something, but the veterinarian said that the
strength in his legs could be increased by giving him (drum roll).....
anabolic steroids!!  Since he was of such an advanced age, there'd be no
worry about any liver damage showing up.  I was skeptical, but in 10 days,
he was zooming around the linoleum floor in the kitchen.  We had many jokes
about Arnold Schwarztenferret moving the furniture to suit himself, but
really, it made his last months much more comfortable.
 
Anon.
 
[Posted in FML issue 0532]