Hi Everyone,
                   I thought I would post an update on how Tara & Mitzi are
getting along.
We brought Mitzi home about a month ago, I think things have gotten much better.
Tara now will fight for herself on some occasions, or running away works too.
There is still a scuffle once in awhile. I really feel we are past the rough
part, they do sleep together now, and share the 3 story cage I had bought just
prior to adopting Mitzi. I have seen some posts on litter, I was using the
clumping kind, and after I read some of the posts I switched to a plant fiber
kind(pellets). Tara really did not care, Mitzi on the other hand spent the next
couple hours tossing it all over the place! As soon as Tara went to the
bathroom, Mitzi realized it must be ok for her to use it! Another thing that I
found works wonders is the cage clips from the Ferret Outfitters catalog, Tara
was very upset that she could no longer try to tip the litter box over! I also
bought the hanging tube with the hole which they LOVE! I think they love it more
than the hammock. As for toys Tara loves plastic bags I pull her all around,
then she jumps out and jumps back in, we played for over half an hour, and I
think I laughed the whole time. Mitzi has taught Tara how to "fly" from couch to
table, we must push EVERYTHING off the table before we are done. Or from chair
to table to rocking chair to table. Forget putting a glass with something in it!
Over it goes, then of course it's time to play with the mess we have made, it
really is a riot to watch. Other times are spent trying to get into our
reptile/fish room, I swear they can hear that door open when they are fast
asleep, and when I am done feeding everyone, and open the door in they run! The
kitchen is off limits too, it has a dog door and hard to block off areas so we
have a gate, when the dog wishes to go out she waits at the gate. Tara is fine
with the gate, but not Mitzi, she showed Tara how to climb up the gate!WE
finally had to duct tape the top portion so they could not climb up and over,
they were both very upset. They both hate a bath, but Mitzi's main gameis to
dump the water out of the dogs two water bowls, one downstairs & one upstairs,
Mandy won't even drink out of them if one of the girls was playing with it. Tara
loves to put her whole head in the water bowl, then the feet, she blows some
bubbles, shakes her head and does it again, it is so funny to watch our friends
were in hysterics.
Well they say when it rains, it pours.  I think that's the way this week has
went.  I took Mitzi to the vet on Wed, I noticed she had been sleeping alot,
and not playing that much, and haden't gained any weight, something told me
things weren't right For the first couple weeks I thought it was the stress of
the new home ect.  I decided I wanted blood work, she is four, and I wanted to
be sure.  The problem is when I get that feeling(we have had problems with our
dog) I am usually right.  On Thursday my husband called to say he twisted his
knee in work, I needed to come get him,he works an hour and a half away, I was
getting ready to leave work when the phone rang, it was the vet, the blood
tests were back it showed that her glucose(sp?) was 5!  He said they really
worry when it's at 20, he was surprised that she had not had seizure, he
suspects insulinoma, and her kidney enzymes(sp?) were elevated so he suspects
that it may already have spread.  I was devastated, he want to get her
stablized so he told me to give her Karo syrup & water to get her glucose up,
and we started her on Prenisolone & Diazoxide.  He wants to get her stablized
and see if she improves before trying surgery.  She takes her medicine like a
good girl, I held her last night and cried, I don't want anything to happan to
her, she is so sweet, loves to cuddle, have her belly scratched.  Im hoping
and praying that things will go well, and I hope you will pulling for us.  I
do have a couple of quick questions, I am giving her Karo syrup & water, but
how much?  I put some in a bowl, but they either splash it out or knock it
over.  I was giving her some though a syringe, my vet said he hasen't heard
how much, or when it's too much I was giving her a syringe with 1,0 twice in
the morning & at night.  By the time we got done at the hospital for my
husband it was late, since the vet had said she was underwight 13/4 pounds,
she feels too thin, she really does not eat that much, I decided to try Duck
Soup, if we are going to try for surgery, I want her to be in the best
condition possible.  I made it, Mitzi loved it!  Her tummy looked so full, I
was so pleased.  When I spoke to the vet's today he really did not think it
was a good idea, he wanted her to have a high protein diet, and once the
medicine got working she would start gaining weight, I am using it as a
supplement to her diet which is Iams Kitten & Totally Ferret.  I was under the
impression that Duck Soup was high in protein, I read the fact before I did
it.  I want to do everything I can to help her, anyone have any thoughts on
this?  I'm sorry this is so long, I just needed to share Mitzi & Tara's
happanings of late.
 
Michelle, Mandy the dog(Mom! They are in MY water bowl again) Mitzi(What's mine
is mine , what's yours in mine too!)Tara(why can't I have what Mitzi drinks?)
[Posted in FML issue 1215]