We've seen all sorts of things in 20 years with ferrets: vax reactions
that landed them unconscious in incubators, one send home to die with us
and then tried experimentally Florinef (This was before it was known to
be useful.) and surviving, etc., but neither Steve nor I have seen what
we did with Warpie.  At times she was cold and purple and we had to help
a mirror to her nose to even know she was breathing.  Everyone has
individual quirks; that is her's.  Steve and I will stay in shift mode.
Right now he is running an errand while I'm here and awake with her, and
later we'll alternate sleeping again.
 
Warp is 8 and has a number of things wrong -- several terminal and at
least two of those advanced, but is carefully medicated for them including
pain meds that leave her refreshed and capable.  One of the things she
has, a friable small intestine, was expected to kill her before she was
two years old.  Good veterinary care combined with careful nursing at
home sometimes make all the difference between and happy life and death.
 
Warpie still can and likely will pass away at anytime, but she got
past one unexpected and very unusual hump.  Probably never again will
encounter a ferret who responds that way to that particular medication.
 
 ----
 
Dr. Bruce Williams will be a way from a computer for a while; there is
a LOT on this topic from him in the archives of both the FML and FHL.
Actual strokes are NOT documented in ferrets.  What ARE documented in
ferrets (and vets often call them strokes to not confuse patients) are
thromboses.  Thromboses are thrown clots which can land up somewhere
and do damage, and that includes in the brain.  One of the things with
thromboses is that you want to look for an underlying illness that can
cause a thrown clot.  The places to start are by looking for
cardiomyopathy (a rather common form of heart disease) or for kidney
disease.  Absolutely avoid anything that can raise blood pressure, disturb
heart rhythm, etc., i.e. no true licorice, no caffeine, no ginseng, etc.
We've had two do it through the years: the first ferret had heart disease
and got through her first ones fine, but later was taken when she threw a
clot to a kidney followed by one to her brain.  The second had kidney
disease and he just suddenly went comatose when he threw a clot of his
brain; he had very careful care, recovered with almost no damage at all
except slight damage to one foot, and never threw a second clot.  Of
course, what you are encountering may not be a thrombosis, either.  I
think that you need to be running tests: blood tests, x-rays, ultrasounds.
 ----
 
I am still asking people to refrain from writing to me during this busy
time.
 
Sukie
For FERRET HEALTH INFO:
http://geocities.com/sukieslist
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list
[Posted in FML issue 3822]