This is frustrating, as many ferret illnesses are.  For a short while after
I last posted about Noodle, he bounced back a bit and was behaving normally.
However, he continued to lose weight.  He is still eating and drinking
normally, but has resumed frequent, heavy sleeping.  Weight loss seems about
1oz/week or so; he's several hundred grams under his weight of last summer,
and looks and feels gaunt.  Ferrets should be well-padded; he's all skin and
bones.
 
So, I called the vet who did his bloodwork and requested a copy for myself,
and made an appointment at the Other Vet for Monday, and we're going back
in.  Looking at the blood panel and attempting to read it according to what
the FerFAQ says, parts of it definitely look abnormal - but the vet who took
the readings said his blood work came back 'fine.' What, are they TRYING to
ensure my ferret gets sick?  They didn't do a stool sample, radiograph, or
cover the blood panel in detail.  They took three months to figure out that
Friday had lymphoma and tried to get me to go to take her to a $1,000+
neurologist for Friday's "back injury." (They never did a blood panel on
Friday, which would've found the lymphoma)
 
Yes, I'm upset.  Three of my ferrets are sick, two terminally so, and
they're all under 5 years of age.  Two of the sick ones aren't even 4 yrs
yet.  Note to those of you students or younger folk who are considering more
ferrets: I've spent several hundred dollars in '97 simply trying to find out
what my ferrets are ill with and, in part, just doing normal checkups.  I'm
24 and have a good full-time job, but this is pushing my limits.  Don't get
another ferret if you don't have the $500 extra/yr disposable income FOR
EACH FERRET YOU OWN.
 
Anyway, </preach>, Noodle is still alert, eating, drinking, pooping
normally, just sleeping a lot.  I have him on ensure/duck soup supplements
and will be getting some Pedialyte as well.  Our vet appt.  is Monday.
 
I recently switched from Iam's Kitten to Iam's Natural Lamb & Rice, which is
mixed 50/50 with Totally Ferret.  Previously they got Eukanuba chicken &
rice, TF, and Iam's kitten 30/30/30; could the food switch be partially
responsible?  I highly suspect Easel of being allergic to chicken, so the
food switch is necessary as she'll throw up every week eating only
chicken-based food but not as much with the Lamb & Rice.  Besides, there's
still TF in there, the protein and fat levels are fine on the L&R, and the
other two are doing well with the new combo.  Anyone else had any problems
on the L&R?
 
My suspicions are some sort of long-term infection, some sort of internal
organ (liver/kidney?) problems, maybe cardio.  Nnnnnnnngh.
 
Potpie: Does anyone else have a ferret that attempts to fight its own butt?
Potpie, since she was very very little, has been known to curl up and use
her back legs to kick at her front legs and mouth, and try to bite her back
legs while attempting to catch them with her front legs.  It's the funniest
damn thing.  It's kinda sad - she acts like she needs another ferret around,
but she just won't deal with them.
 
Melissa
 
 ___ Melissa Litwicki __ [log in to unmask] ___
 By the whole newsgroup devoted tennis showing
     it after scarfing fork and laughters
[Posted in FML issue 1979]