Let me begin by saying thanks to all of you who responded to our
call for help with our sick fuzzy.  Special thanks to Bill for
offering to forward the vets replies to our problem, rather than
wait for the FML to be sent out.
 
Here is the latest:
 
We came home yesterday to a very sick ferret. Tiggers stools had
originally been black and tarry, but were now just a kind of yellow
mucous diarrhea, and not very much of it.  He was extremely
lethargic, and very hot to the touch. We rushed him to the vet, who
determined that he was running a fever. We brought stool samples for
him to test, but he found no signs of infection or blood.  Upon a
physical examination of Tigger he said he could feel some sort of
hard, round object blocking the intestinal tract. He took x-rays but
was unable to see the object, although he could see pockets of gas
trapped up to the point of blockage. There was nothing at all in the
intestines past the blockage. He suggested surgery but said that he
could not guarantee the outcome. We asked if there were any other
alternatives. The vet said the only thing we could try was to give
Tigger plenty of laxatone to try and help him pass the object, and
to give hem Pediolyte as often as we could get some into him. If
things did not improve by the following morning he would have to do
surgery before Tigger was too weak. He gave Tigger an antibiotic
shot (ouch!) and sent us home. We stayed up all night feeding him
with an eye dropper (it's amazing how tight they can clamp their
little jaws, even when they are sick!).
 
Well, good news (sort of). When we took him into the vet this
morning he was feeling much better, and even ate a few treats out of
our hand. We left him there all day and he was examined hourly to
check his progress. He still has not passed the object but Dr Garon
was optimistic as he could feel that it had moved further down the
intestines. We will continue to bring him in each morning so that at
the first sign of a turn for the worst we will have to resort to
surgery. For now, at least, he is eating a little, his temp is
normal, and he even has enough energy to nip at Weasie when she
steals his towel.
 
We will keep you advised. Thanks again to everyone for your
suggestions and support.
 
Ken & Paula
Tigger & Weasie
and the rest of the zoo!
[Posted in FML issue 1129]