I need advice...I just took my 7-year old Dweezil to the emergency vet
tonight (this is the Dweezil that had adrenal surgery this spring).  I
found her today weak, lethargic, really 'out of it'...I took her out of
her cage and kept her on the couch with me for awhile; she'd stumble a
few step and then lay down and try to sleep, but her eyes never closed...
just stayed half-lidded.  She lay there next to me for quite some time
with her head resting on my hand, which she never does...she's not a
'lap-ferret'-type.  She would drink water if I presented it to her in a
bowl.
 
So off to the vet we go.  She was hypothermic (temp 97F) and hypoglycemic
(73); I understand the range to be around 100-200.  The vet kept her for
several hours, warmed her up and got her temp back up, got her blood
sugar back up (127), sub q'd her 40cc of fluid, noted that she'd had
diarrhea twice while there and was a bit dehydrated, and gave me Flagyl
to give her 0.3cc/2xday/5days and sent her home with me.  This is not my
regular vet, as of course this happened on a Friday evening, and the vet
we saw tonight isn't a specific 'ferret-vet', though she was fairly
knowledgeable about the possibility of insulinoma.  I honestly can't
afford to keep her at the emergency vet all weekend (tonight's little
adventure was nearly $200 for about 4 hours) so I won't be able to do
anything with Dweezil until Monday, but she's not doing terrific at
all...still lethargic, but a little bit perkier, not moving around much,
her nose looks pale but is wet.  I just don't know what to do...I have
her in a carrier in our bedroom, instead of in her cage in the ferret
room, but I just don't know what else to do for her, or what else may be
wrong.  I keep wondering if I'm going to walk in and find her gone.
 
She was fine last night, playing and running around with the other 3, who
are all fine.  I just don't know what else could be going on, or if it is
insulinoma, how to treat it, or if she's caught something, other than
giving her the Flagyl (which of course she hates, I knew she would; I'm
allergic to it besides!) what else I can/should do with her come Monday.
 
Dweezil's my first; and I worry about her more than anything in the
world, and am really scared for her.  Any help/advice/encouraging words
are welcome.
 
You can reply on-list, or to me personally [log in to unmask] or
[log in to unmask]
 
Sherrie (aka daoine o')
Dweezil, Razzle, Monty-boo and Jezebel
[Posted in FML issue 4304]