Those of you with spinal injuries here's waht we've done.....
 
Last October my Bijoux was bitten but a cat in the right shoulder blade and
has been partially paralysed in the hind legs.  At first it was a question
of wether or not she'd have any control at all in here hind legs.  Gradually
she did start to gain some control.  She always had feeling so that was a
good sign.  At first the treatment was a daily shot of Cortizone for a week,
then everyother day the next week, then every third day and then she was off
it all together and was followed up by Prednizone tablets, whcih she hated,
even mixed in ferretvite, prescribed for 30 days, at 1/4 a tablet once a day
then everyother day for two weeks and then every third day for a week.
However the presciption was never used pass the second day due to
depression.  So on the advise of the vet and my own persoanl thoughts, she
was taken off of it all together.  About that time she wasn't eating so we
had to feed her on ferretvite alone for over a week.  I made sure to take
her out and at the very least set her out on a blanket.  Since she couldn't
walk we had to bathe her almost daily.  So she developed slight dandruff
from the soap.  On the advise of a few FML'ers we stopped using shampoo, and
only used it was washing in warm water wouldn't get her clean enough.  The
dry skin soon disappeared.  After about 1 1/2 weeks she began to start to
eat again and drink as well.  She would move around but only dragged her
legs behind her.  We did try pool therapy a few times but she just wouldn't
do anything.  She'd just sit there and let herself sink in the tub.
Although we did continue to do it for a while, to allow her to relaxe in the
warm water.  After about a month later she began to try to use her hind legs
a little.  And I do mean very little.  It continued like this even now
sometimes.  After two months she almost alwasy tries to use her hind legs to
help push herslef along the floor.  The vet also recommend theraspy such as
moving her legs in circular motions moving her legs in a full range of
motion that she would move them in of course.  But she began to resist the
therapy quite a bit so that didn't last very long.  About 1 month ago she
did use the litter box completely on her own, she even baced up a bit into
one corner.  That has been the only time tho.  Most recently she has begun
to start to pick herbody completely off the gound and had done a few hops
like a ferret tho very rare.  After that first month after the injury she
really started her progression to recovery.  She's continued to be active
and even tho she can't walk or run like the other ferrets, she still has
managed to beat up on the two new arrival to the ferret business.  At first
our reaction was to accomidate her, but soon we noticed if we didn't make it
so easy she'd work harder and since then we haven't made everything so easy.
We have lower the food bowl and water bottle a bit, but I've recently
begunto put them back at normal heights and she has been adjusting to that!
Basically we don't treat her any different tot he other ferrets.  She gets
to go to the same places and do the same activities.  Sometimes tho I have
played with her away from the other just so she got to play as much with
toys.  One of the most recent discoveries I've made was her interest in a
fishing bobber on a pole.  She has chased it around quite a bit lately and
I've noticed marked improvement becasue of it!  Be prepared to clean the
ferret and the bedding daily.  Bijoux still urinates and deficates on
herself.  Tho be it less.  I hope I've covered that well enough.  Feel free
to email questions to me anytime.  I've been trying to collect a spinal
injury FAQ just for this reason becasue there isn't much info avaliable.
I'm hoping to be able to devote more time to it here real soon!  So anyone
else who hasn't alreay emailed me with thier experiences and thoughs
techniques etc please do so.  If you've emailed me before I still have all
those emails.  Good luck on your road to recovery!
 
--
Krazy Kritter's Kozy Kindom
Commanded by *ferrets* Arthur, Bijoux, Peanut, Suni, & Tiki
Supervised by *Cats* Figaro (a.k.a. Kat), & Munchkin
Occupied by *Human* Krazy Kritter (a.k.a. Matthew)
http://wwp.mirabilis.com/279754
[Posted in FML issue 1877]