Fritter update 8/12
 
Well, we learned some new critical care information to get passed on to peoples'
vets.  Yesterday we almost lost Frit.  It seems that in ferrets, as in humans,
it may be a real no-no to give proglycem if there is a chance of an underlying
heart condition.  This is the suspected cause of the problem because of the
timing but whether it is actual cause is still not known.
 
Anyway, Frit, began very labored breathing -- open mouth with panting, much
fluid loss from mouth, and strong abdominal breathing
-- she was literally at the point where she had to concentrate all her energy
into getting in enough air.  Because she has another bacterial infection (as
with humans chemotherapy messes up the immune system) we suspected pneumonia had
begun since that is not uncommon in such cases, or that the lymphosarcoma had
made it to the lungs as it often does so were actually taking her for a mercy
injection to spare her from her pain, but ( vets, please, note) an x-ray showed
that she had developed perihilar edema cranial to her heart  -- basically she
had fluid retention near her heart which was interfering with it's function.
Critical care was begun immediately (for a 2 # ferret Lasix 0.05 ml, fluids
given subcutaneously, O2 cage, Aminophylline 5 mg -- vets, please, note).
Between the diuretic to get rid of the build-up, the bronchodilator which is
also useful with congestive heart failure, the fluids to protect her kidneys,
and the oxygen cage she is still with us and happily nose bumping and cuddling,
but tired and less stable on her feet than before (front legs are a bit impeded
now and rear hardly working at this point) which may be the progression of the
atrophy from the predinosone, progression of the cancer, or partially an
aftereffect of yesterday.
 
(No negative effects seen in Frit from Elspar, which is helping a lot with nodes
and organ inflammation.  Liver has begun to join it's neighbors in having
enlarged size.  Heart is enlarged, very likely from underlying heart disease.
There may be the faint start of a tumor in same area as fluid built up.)
 
The amazing thing is how little discomfort she is having from her cancer because
when Helix had it years ago she was tortured by it.  Frit has a harder time with
her viruses and bacterial infections than with the cancer, and fortunately she
takes the progressive loss of her rear legs in stride, seems to treat it as more
of challenge to find new ways possible with a mobility handicap to bug the
others.  (If she loses her front legs, too, or begins uncorrectible bad pain we
will opt for a mercy shot to help her).  The only thing which appears to
strongly annoy her is that she can't really keep her abdomen out of waste when
she goes (on floor, of course since can't climb in litter box now) so she calls
us to clean her up.
 
New Jersey readers will want to know that the vet getting her through the cancer
so far (week 16 mark today) is Dr. Christine Newman (1-908-359-3161 or 359-2000)
of Hillsborough Veterinary, and the one who saved her yesterday is Dr. Susan
Laevy (1-908-766-4211) of Basking Ridge Animal Hospital.
 
I suspect we'll lose Frit one way or another probably in a week, 2 weeks if we
are lucky enough to enjoy her company a bit longer, but can not see her
surviving beyond that at this point.  (and, yes, we will pass on her proglycem
to the ferret with insulinoma whose owner is having difficulty coping with the
cost)
 
BTW, Susan Laevy used to treat an 11 year old ferret (forgot in all the tension
to ask if it had been convenience or not, but suspect it was born too long ago
to have been) which was not the one in the NW whose owner we knew, so we know of
2 who made it to that advanced age.  Our other guys are very worried about
Fritter but otherwise fine.
 
Actually, Beau, considering sugar, vinegar, and flies asking B.W. to provide
publicity for the bill may be all you need to get him on board.
(Egos seem to run large among many of us ferret folk -- including me, I'm afraid
-- and a little stroking has often produced fine results.)
 
Late note:  Just heard from the Morris Animal Foundations which ferret health
studies they decided to fund this year (but do not know topics since they were
referred as possible sources of information for Frit's care and for the Aleutian
questions.)  Anyway, at AMC in N.Y. city they are funding Mark Peterson, DVM
(also WONDERFUL at AMC are Quesenberry and Hoefer; Hillier has moved on to
another center), and at Kansas State University they are providing a grant for
Cynthia P. Golshalk, DVM.  One is an immunologist and the other an
endocrinologist so insulinomas or adrenal tumors are some possible subjects of
study which come to mind, and both are VERY important to know more about.
 
8/13  We have possibly found a promising solution to Frit's sugar and fluid
balance problems which won't endanger her heart.  Twice a day I'll be giving her
20 ccs of dextrose solution subcutaneously.  She HAS to be easier to do than a
chimp and I've managed that in the past.
 
Have found out that she is not only doing better with cancers than most ferrets,
but also way better than cats do . There are more than a few big names following
and consulting on her case because she is teaching a lot.  For instance, even
though she is only the 2nd known ferret to get Elspar her response has been so
positive that it may make sense in other cases to try that as the first line of
attack,  the perihilar edema which might relate to the proglycem is a new idea,
etc.  She remains a real snuggler (also smuggler) who looks on being spoiled as
her due and quickly wins everyones' hearts
 
8/14  Gave her her first home stick, which she didn't mind AT ALL.  Steve fed
her Ben and Jerry's vanilla and I gave her the fluid (yep, as you would imagine
she has a hump on her back which leaks a bit).  After two injections (last night
at vet's and this one) she is cruising better than she has in a week and is very
enthusiastic again.  In fact, she is in the other guys' romp room now stealing
their toys.  She's one tough critter.
 
Re: the male who loves cylindrical objects enough to bite them:  yes, we've seen
this in several males both neutered and not.  It's an abberation of normal
mating behavior and can be approached several ways:  1.  stop all biting
behaviors immediately after they occur by forcing ferret to smell or taste a
tiny bit of something safe which it hates (toothpaste is highly successful as
are commercial products like
bitter apple, sour grapes, or bitter lime), 2.  keep unclothed cylindrical parts
of body away from ferret till trained, 3.  never, ever put arm near a male if
you have been around a female in heat or with an endocrine disorder which
simulates heat until you have REALLY scrubbed the arms down (You should see what
a whole male can do to an arm it thinks it must rape -- with rape being normal
sex of ferrets, sorry, but true), 4.  if you don't have too much trouble with
the taste of the before mentioned sour products coming through skin and invading
your own mouth you can use the spray versions on yourself and let ferret find
out hard way what happens (yech! Is that what a sexy mommy leg tastes like?)
(also works for rough sock biting), 5. when ever male acts like this will happen
tell it "No bite." in a stern low pitched voice and "kiss, kiss" in a pleasant
higher pitched voice (after teaching it the words -- they pick up language
rapidly), 6.  get it a cylindrical sex object of it's own by making one with old
socks or buying such a toy so it can displace to that, 7.  wash off his ear musk
regularly so he will feel less attractive and less able to dominate, 8.  realize
that there may still be slips (We see one about once every 2 years).
 
Has anyone else noticed how amazing ferrets are at understanding words and
slightly complex strings of words ( but not always obeying them -- we got
complete obedience for 6 weeks after my surgery and the 3 healthy guys obey
completely when Frit is very ill, but otherwise they seem to think "Why?.)?  My
suspicion is that since they evolved as poor hunters which must corner densely
populated, strongly fighting prey in tunnels that having a facility for
understanding non-ferret sounds carried a survival/breeding advantage.  Of the
critters who have been in my life only the greater apes seem to have more
capability, dogs and wolves seem to be about the same, and having less are
gibbons, new and old world monkeys, prosimians, coatis, raccoons, cats, various
farm animals, horses, donkeys (which seem smarter than horses to me) rabbits,
guinea pigs, mice, rats, squirrels, etc.  Has anyone else compared them with
these or others?   One quirk I have noticed is that they seem to need a subject,
verb, object order for maximal understanding and response. (Another nifty thing
is the unusually wide range of personalities -- all fine by me so far)  -- Sukie
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0167]