Hi.  Thank you so much for the information!  Merlin had surgery yesterday at
about 5:00p.m.  He is resting very comfortably at home this evening.  The
vet pulled a chunk of rubber out of his intestine.  It looks like part of
the sole of a shoe.  We haven't yet found anything in the house that color
and texture.  We don't have any idea where he picked it up.
 
He had been vomitting off and on since our last club meeting (July 21st).
Someone brought the flu in to the ferrets and everyone was vomitting for a
day or two - of course they didn't all get it at once.  Merlin got sick,
then a day or two later Bandit got it, then in another day or two Rosie got
it, then Chryssie, then Holly, and finally Tiger.
 
There was one family that would not leave me ferrets alone.  The two little
girls kept feeding the ferrets whatever they could get ahold of.  I have no
idea what they fed the ferrets exactly because part of the time I was
outside (the meeting was a cookout).  When I realized the kids were in the
house, I came in, then everyone followed.
 
When they all got over the flu, they all came down with it again.  It had
been a week or so and Merlin started the vomitting again.  We thought they
would all go through the flu again, but nobody else got sick.  That's when
the vomitting got worse.  We had him in to see the vet about 3 weeks ago.
At that point I thought there was a blockage.  He was straining to go to the
bathroom.  The vet poked around on his stomache, Merlin pottied in the pet
taxi, and it cost us $30 for the vet to watch him poop.
 
As the vomitting got worse and more frequent, that's when I called the vet
again and posted on the FML.
 
The chunk of rubber is yellow and spongy like the sole of a tennis shoe.  My
husband measured it and it is 10mm in diameter.  It has bite marks all over
it.  When he got ahold of it, apparently he chewed on it a while.
 
Our club meetings will never be here again and club members are allowed at
my home by strict appointment only, now.  Nobody is left alone with our
ferrets.
 
Thank God Merlin is okay for now.  He is eating small amounts of chicken
baby food mixed with warm water today.  Tomorrow he will graduate to
softened Totally Ferret.  He will be on the softened food several days
before we try to wean him back on dry food.
 
The blockage was inside the small intestine, just past the stomache.  That
could have been why the vet had a hard time seeing it.  It wasn't further
down in the intestine all by itself.
 
Merlin looks so much better today!  His eyes are starting to get that bright
sparkle again and I even got kisses again today.  It's been a while since he
has felt well enough to kiss anybody.
 
My 11-year-old son, Dan, wishes to thank everyone for all of the well wishes
and prayers for Merlin's recovery.  Last night (right after surgery), Dan
told the vet that we had to bring Merlin home right away so he wouldn't be
alone.  The vet said he would take him home with him last night and sit up
with him so he wouldn't feel alone.  Dan insisted on going home with the vet
so he would be with Merlin.  The vet said no so Dan came home with me.
 
We picked Merlin up at 9:00 this morning and the vet said he slept on the
couch all night to be near Merlin just in case there was a problem.
 
Thanks again so very much to all who helped Merlin!!
 
Mary
Peoria Area Ferret Connection
[Posted in FML issue 1685]