To keep this reasonably short, I'm going to skip the background info,
straight to the present.  A ferret I picked up on a "rescue run" a week ago
Sat and brought to a nearby shelter has hind leg problems which I suspect
may be cage paralysis.
 
At pickup time the ferret was so weak and dehydrated she could not even
hold her own head up.  I had to support her head while I syringe fed her
electrolyte solution.  (IMO if BIG had not gotten involved and called me
that evening, the ferret would probably have been dead by morning.  Another
ferret life saved by our fearless moderator!)
 
I gave her some Pedialyte solution (about 3ccs) in the parking lot, then
whisked her away to Joanne's shelter in Yonkers (NY) for better care.
(Kudos to Joanne, who was willing to have a sick ferret dropped off at
10pm!!) (pressing "fast forward" and jumping to today)
 
She had a bad case of diarrhea (cause unknown, but no other ferrets at the
shelter are sick so far), and has been improving gradually.  When she was
well enough to walk around, Joanne realized she couldn't.  Her hind legs
just got dragged. :(  Finally today she started to actually stand on them
and walk a bit.  I went to see her and when she stands on them, her back
legs are curled under her in a funny way that makes me think she has spent
too much time curled up in a ball.  Like she can't straighten them out
completely.  Is that what cage paralysis looks like?
 
The only background info I have is that she was dumped at the petstore I
picked her up from by someone who said he had 'had her a month and didn't
want her anymore'.  (IMO probably translates into 'can't be bothered to
spend money on sick animal' :( ) I don't know how long she was sick before
she was left there, what she was fed or what type of housing she was kept in.
 
So, more questions-for those of you who have dealt with this:
1) Is it likely she would have developed this just in the past week from
being so sick and hardly moving?  Or is likely she had this before she was
dumped?
 
2) Should she get special exercises, or will she gradually just get better
from having more exercise?  I did leave a copy of Maggie Merchant's article
on ferret physical therapy, (Modern Ferret issue 18, Sept/Oct 98) so Joanne
can do those with her.
 
She has been isolated in a small carrier the past week with 'out' time each
day (not as bad as it might sound since she was so sick she really wasn't
moving at all anyway.  By the time you read this she'll probably be in a
regular cage.)
 
3) What is the long term prognosis for cage paralysis victims?  Do they
make a full recovery?  Are they always a bit 'contracted' in the back?
Does it depend how bad it's gotten?
 
4) Any idea how long it takes for the muscles to stretch out?
 
5) Any ideas for exercises to help stretch the muscles?  I told Joanne I
thought even holding the ferret so her hind end dangles would probably do
some gentle stretching, and as I said she has Maggie's article, but any
other suggestions would be appreciated.
 
Thanks in advance!
 
-Ilena Ayala
[Posted in FML issue 2472]