Let me start with some good news.  Rikki may get to come home tomorrow.  She
will still be on IV antibiotics (no biggie to me..... I can do sub-q fluids
and have no problems with a needle when it's a life saving device).  She is
bright eyed, tries to walk with the IV in place, gave lots and lots of kissy
face to mom during our visit, and is keeping baby food down...... I suspect
the AD may have been too rich for her tummy.....
 
Now for what I learned through this horrible nightmare.....
 
1.  It was brought on by a severe bacterial infection from an unknown
source.  There are 18 other animals that get out and play in the same area
Rikki had available to her.  She shares a closet (the entire thing) with 3
other cage mates.  ALL are fine and healthy with no apparent problems at
all.  Believe me I've checked and checked.  It could have just as easily
been the Bee sting, spider bite, vaccination reaction, or toxic poisoning
that was a suggested cause..... (although I have NOTHING toxic in my home).
What I am saying is that this reaction can have multiple causes.
 
2.  I was lucky...... Rikki was SLOW to react..... in comparison to some
stories I've heard.  Ferrets have been known to die in vet offices with
immediate care for shock.  Anaphalactic (henceforth known by me as "A"
shock, because I too have trouble spelling that one) is what kills humans
with pencillin reactions, bee sting reactions, etc.  It is a big killer in
all animal (yes we qualify) life.  Rikki's first signs of illness were the
lethargy and vommiting attempt.  She did not start with the bloody stools
until she had been at the vets about 5-6 hours......
 
3.  G-pigs (not even going to try that one) have a 'shock' organ known to be
their respiratory systems, I think this may be the human 'shock' organ as
well.  They are now beginning to suspect the 'shock' organ for a ferret is
the gut.  All the blood vessels of the stomach and intestines seem to start
bleeding at once.... hence to vomitting and stools of blood.
 
4.  I have a vet that should be cannonized...... He has no qualms about
trying things that he thinks may work when all else that is known to work
fails.  Transfusions are not normally done in ferrets.  It was only recently
that it was discovered that they could give and recieve them.  This was not
his first ferret transfusion situation, and he has a 50% success rate with
them, but that is definately better than 0%.  He is a jewel to let a
non-veterinary person spend an entire work day in his presence, (I really
did try to stay out of the way).  In addition I just found out today, that
he donated a fairly large sum of money to a ferret specific research
institute at Davis University (long known for it's veterinary training
program) in the name of my Tavvi that I lost just 5 weeks ago.
 
As to the person concerned about the spider bites and ferrets.  Fara Shimbo
did an article for the Weasel Help Quarterly (I think it was monthly at the
time she did it) on spider bites and ferrets.  What to do?  How to prevent?
First aid suggestions, etc.  You might want to contact her with your
questions or FURO (if it's still available) for a back copy of that issue.
It is copyrighted material and I don't need a lawsuit at this point (I've
got a vet bill that would choke a human), so I can't quote any part of it
here...... If someone is able to contact Fara Shimbo, they might also ask
for permission to re-post that information and perhaps include it in the
FAQ's for the future.  I'm sorry I don't have her address or her e-mail
address.  I've heard rumors she is on Compuserve.... but don't that to be a
fact.
 
In closing,I want to say, once again my paranoia paid off.  I adopted a
philosophy a couple of years ago with ferrets and have saved more that one
life in doing so.  "Better Paranoid than sorry".  If my ferret is not acting
completely normal..... I contact the vet and more often then not, take it to
the vets.  I don't take a wait and see attitude...... I also use what little
human first aid knowledge I have to help get it through the crisis long
enough to get to the vets.
 
You'll know if Rikki comes home tomorrow, that won't be a sonic boom it will
be my YAHOO.....
 
Rikki and Tavvi's Mom.
[Posted in FML issue 1596]