It has been awhile since I have posted about Cujo, so I thought I would let
everyone know how he is doing.  Cujo had an emergency operation in the early
spring because he had urinary blockage.  At that time, the emergency vet
opened up and flushed his bladder.
 
Unfortunately, that only lasted about two months and then he couldn't
urinate again.  This time we took him to Dr. Jeffrey Shaffer at the East
Orange Animal Hospital.  He is a very knowledgeable ferret vet.  He took out
as much as he could of the adrenals and flushed the bladder again.  He took
Cujo home with him overnight and noticed that he still had blockage.  He
called and said that he had never done this operation, but had read about
it, and had heard that it had been done successfully at least once.
 
The operation he wanted to do involves cutting into the urinary tract just
under the anus and making a new opening there.  In essence, he turned our
boy into a girl.  The new opening looked like a buttonhole, as it had so
many stitches to make it heal to the outside skin instead of close up again.
 
Cujo was the usual "verge of death" ferret after the operation, but like the
first time, after three or four days, he was raring to go.  It has been
around three months, and he is doing GREAT!!  In fact, I called Dr. Jeff the
other day and asked him what he had done to my ferret.
 
Cujo is running and giggling and jumping like a kit.  He was never this
animated before.  My personal feeling is that he may have been partially
blocked for a long time, and the removal of the adrenals may also be part of
the improvement.
 
I watch him play and jump and twist and "dook, dook" and it always brings a
smile to my face just to watch him tear around the house like a banshee.  I
tell myself, "It wasn't cheap, but look what we bought for a few hundred
dollars." If he were pass over Rainbow Bridge tomorrow, every cent would
have been worth it just for the last few weeks of exuberant life it has
meant for him, but I expect him to be with us for a long time.  I gave up on
him a couple of times after the surgeries.  About the third or fourth day,
he would look so bad.  But Cujo had more faith in himself than I did, and a
big heart in such a little animal.  Right now he weighs around 2 lbs 12
ounces.  He lost some weight after both operations, but has gained it back.
By the way, the doctor had us switch all three of our ferrets from Totally
Ferret to Science Diet C/D.  We have also switched from tap water to
distilled water for them.
 
If you are in the Orlando area and need a Ferret vet, the name, again, is
East Orange Animal Hospital, 11937 East Colonial Drive, Orlando.  Phone
numbers are 407-275-3856 and emergency number 407-644- 4449.  I don't think
you'll find much better than "Doctor Jeff".
 
Charles, Ag, Donna, Bandit, Cujo and Snowball
 
WE REMEMBER KODO
[Posted in FML issue 2075]