Hi all again:
 
I have posted a few times now about my 6 year old ferret Ricky who suddenly
became unable to walk properly with his hind legs.  I won't post the story
again, as I don't want to take up the time of those of you who already know
his story--but please, if you don't know what's going on e-mail me and I'll
tell you privately.  I should also mention here...a few of you responded to
early posts, if I didn't privately e-mail you I'd like to thank you here,
and to Troy Lynn, thank you sooo much for the help you've offered so far.
Still nothing seems to "fit" but I appreciate your observations--and your
caring--more than words can say.
 
I'm writing now because two new things have happened and I wonder if anyone
might have new ideas.  First, I'm having difficulty determining if Ricky is
eating.  He has a sister, Sassy, who he is *very* attached to, and I
separated them for almost a day and they were so unhappy I put them back
together.  Problem is, now I can't monitor his eating (or lack thereof)
habits.  I am giving him, twice daily, Pred, some sulfa antibiotic, and
NutriCal.  I don't see many stools in their box, and I'm concerned.  So
tonight I sat vigil and waited, Ricky did poop but it was so, so black and
tarry, and this is the second time I've found him having black tarry stools
(also the only 2 stools I know of him having since this all started, but
he'd be dead if he hasn't gone so I assume he's had more).  What's this all
about?  How can it be related to his inability to walk, or is it?  Mostly,
is it possible that Ricky is not eating food at all, that the only nutrition
he's getting is Nutrical, and the Nutrical (being so thick, etc.) is causing
the black tarry stools?  I should mention that he doesn't seem to be in any
pain, but he's emaciated (has been very thin for over a year now), yet he
still has maintained his activity level.  He hobbles, but he takes every
opportunity to use his runtime that I give him.
 
The second thing is this: a few days ago his hind end weakness (dizzy-like
walk) turned into a complete inability to use his back right leg...it just
dragged behind him while he scooted around the room on the other 3 legs.
The 4th leg is *not* paralyzed, he could move it.  After 2 days of not being
able to walk on the 4th leg he went back to using it, but doing the
dizzy-like walk.  The degree of inability to walk varies from day to day,
some days he seems to be almost fine (but not 100%).  Others, like this
morning, it was painful to watch him try to walk.
 
The test results on insulinoma haven't come back yet, but I talked to my vet
on Saturday and now he is leaning away from that diagnosis.  I'm so
frustrated and I hate seeing my sweet boy so unhealthy.
 
That's the end of my medical questions, if you have any thoughts please
e-mail me!!  I would like to take a moment, though, and talk about Ricky--I
hope you don't mind but this is the "healing moment for mom." I watch this
poor, frail boy every day, when I give him runtime.  First he comes out of
the cage when I pick him up.  He gets his 1/4 pill, when I pry his mouth
open and drop the pill in the back of his mouth.  He swallows it, without
fail, right away.  Then comes the antibiotic, a liquid I give him via
syringe.  He HATES this stuff, but he doesn't fight me.  I squirt the stuff
in the back of his mouth, he swallows it with a horrible face, and when it's
all over he rubs his face on my sleeve as if to say "that's what you get."
But then he gets his treat--and possibly his only nutrition--of Nutrical,
which he happily laps from the tube.  I then gently set him on the floor and
wait with pained anticipation to see if this is a day when he can walk or
can't.  The first few steps are always bad, but I let him find his legs on
his own.  He's alert, awake, and eager to go.  The ferret room leads into
the laundry room, only a board separating the two.  This is always where he
wants to be (but is never allowed), but I let him stand up and walk into the
laundry room now because it's kind of a reward for being such a trooper.
After he hobbles around that room a minute I bring him back to the ferret
room and sit on the floor to observe.  On bad days, he comes to me and just
curls up in my lap, I believe he feels it is a "safe" place.  But on good
days, this poor critter still tries to do everything he could before.  He
was always a climber, but I tell you now he really likes it, I guess because
he can go UP without having to use his back legs.  It's the only direction
he can go in that his legs don't give him grief.  It brings tears to my eyes
to see him trying so hard to be normal--everything else seems right, sort
of--but his body won't let him.  This little guy is such a trooper, I'm so
proud.  But I feel so guilty because the vets can't help, and I can't help.
Maybe someone out there can.  At the very least please say a prayer for
Ricky.  If we can't help him, maybe God can.
 
Thanks for thinking of Ricky, and kiss all of your fuzzies for me.
 
Kymberlie Becker
Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association
"Forget Puppy Love...There's nothing Greater than Ferret Love!" TM
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/ferretlady
[Posted in FML issue 1917]