Good Morning to All!

I need some advice regarding Iris and Grimmy.

Grimmy is a new surrender and here is an overdue update on our little
dumpster girl, now lovingly called Iris. We named her Iris in honor of
the lady who found her outside an apartment dumpster near death. She
is doing so much better. After a couple of weeks now, Iris is unable
to stand or put any weight on her back legs, but her back legs are
moving - and boy do they ever! She is a sweet, cuddly little lady and
is already attached to me now. She is pain free and very energetic with
those front legs and has learned to wiggle that little body to anywhere
she wants to go. But she has problems controlling her bladder and goes
where ever and usually ends up messy from it. I try to void her as
often as I can when I am home but, alas, at night and when I am at
work, well....she is messy.

Her doctor has ruled out fractures and broken bones with film and
her temperature is now normal and antibiotics has cured her of minor
infection. He has concluded that whatever happened to Miss Iris caused
her body to go into severe shock and she was found in that condition.
She would more than likely died if she was not found quickly after
being put into the box and left outside the dumpster as the temperature
was high and sun hot.

Any ideas for therapy for Miss Iris so that we can strengthen and maybe
get her up onto her back legs? If not, then who makes little carts for
paralyzed fuzzies? Anyone?

Grimm (we call him Grimmy) was surrendered about two weeks ago - one of
the last we received. A sole ferret most of his life, a little black
sable boy of about 4 years. Grimmy was given a diet of - OMG! - DOG
FOOD, various kinds according to his previous owner who also owns a
dog. Grimmy was surrendered thin, bad teeth, and with a horrible
brittle coat. His fur has become soft and full now. But he is painfully
thin. He eats very little and his doctor has ruled out any medical
condition or illness other than malnutrition due to a poor diet. We
are encouraging him to eat treats and every kind of ferret and cat food
we have and are not making much progress. I am now giving him support
care (hand feeding him A/D water by syringe to about 100 cc daily now).
Grimmy is also very very fearful of other ferrets and cries out in
terror when any ferret comes near him. You pick him up and I swear he
is crying. And, for whatever reason known only to this poor little guy,
he is in mourning. I guess even though his previous owner took poor
care of him, they bonded. By his own admission, his previous owner
admits to pretty much not interacting with this ferret for weeks prior
to his surrendering him. And, here is a big surprise, has not inquired
about him either......!

Other shelter moms and dads have recited tragic stories of ferrets
dying of a broken heart. Thankfully, I have not had this happen to
any of my kids. Please help, I don't want Grimmy to be mine.....

Maren Doshier
Founder/President
Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue & Sanctuary
Hernando, MS

[Posted in FML 6352]