Hi all - my computer has been down & not feeling well.  However, thanks to
Howard D., it is back and I've pulled in my back issues of FML.  Haven't
read all & don't have time, but was caught by Cathy's letter about her
ferret who has lost back leg control.  Probably the vet doc's and Cathy's
vet has solved the problem by now, but I thought I would tell you of an
experience I had last week with seven year old Dawn.
 
My ferrets stay out and in the bedroom while I am away or at work.  Last
Friday, I returned home to find that Dawn had been inadvertently left out
all day.  While she had access to Cuddle's water bowl - she had no food
source.  (cannot keep bowl out since Cuddles will eat it).  She was in the
hall dragging herself by her front legs.  She was unable to gain her feet
even with help.  I did a quick assessment, not knowing if it was injury or
what, and placed her on the floor in the bedroom by food and water.  While I
set up the hospital cage, she proceeded to chug away at the food and water.
She ate quite a lot.  She was not cold - normal warm.  Placed in the
hospital cage, she tried to use the litter box and scrabbled around
frantically because she could not gain her feet.  Even with my supporting
her, she was upset.  Finally, she eliminated bowel and bladder flat on her
tummy with her rear legs spread.  I was glad to note she had control of
bowel and bladder.  All of this was at about 10:30p.m. Friday night.  Since
she was eating and not in pain, I decided to get her to the vet first thing
Sat. morning.  meantime, I hit Fox's Diseases and Biology of the Ferret,
looking under CNS problems.
 
Some I was able to rule out right away, but there seemed to be several
possibilities.  Since she continued to eat and drink from time to time, I
kept a watch over her.  She was not displaying symptoms of drinking too much
fluid with too frequent elimination (Diabetes)..  She did not seem to be in
pain which would signal injury.  I could not feel any areas of swelling on
or in her body.  Her lungs were clear.  her heart sounds, rythym and rate
were normal.  After four hours, she still had loss of motility in hind
quarters.  and so I decided to give her prednisone and glucose.  I felt she
might be hypoglycemic.  My clue here was the fact that she had been cut off
from her food source for so long.  I knew that hypoglycemia might cause the
loss of rear coordination.
 
Saturday was awful -- all my vets were unavailable or gone.  However, Sat.
morning Dawn was on her feet, but weak.  That evening I repeated the pred --
and during the day gave her glucose a couple of times.  She continued to eat.
 
Well, to make a long story somewhat shorter.  By the time I reached a vet,
it turned out that my "by process of elimination" diagnosis was correct.
Yesterday she had a check up and passed with flying colors.  She is back to
normal.  And she was suffering from hypoglycemia.  Don't know if this could
be your problem, Cathy, but thought the experience might be of some help if
I passed it along.
 
Regarding the ferret with anal abcess -- if ferret is descented, probably
scent gland tissue left behind.  When the scent gland, or glands are not
completely removed, the partial gland can later cause problems - such as
what you are experiencing.  Sometimes the gland can actually be shattered
leaving pieces behind which can be a mess for the vet to remove those pieces
and painful for the ferret.  However, the surgery needs to be done.  I went
through this with one of my Canadians.  Also, for the record, I do not
believe in descenting ferrets if they are whole kits when purchased and
later neutered.  The occasional release of musk from the glands is a small
price to pay to spare your ferret the agony of the surgical proceedure in an
older animal.  Tip for a scent release -- pick up the offender and quickly
rinse the rear end under the faucet.  Blot dry.  Bad scent gone.  Best to
all.
 
meg
 
P.S. whole hobs in season are pretty stinky most of the time, but your nose
does get immune : ) Whole jills, of which I seem to have a zillion, like to
get in little spats, where both will release their glands.  This seems to be
a "jill thing", and can be aggravating for the long suffering owner --
especially if they have a tiff under the covers while their human is
sleeping.  This catapults me out of bed pretty fast.  I think that plan
this.  meg
[Posted in FML issue 1414]