I'd like to give everyone an update on Casper and ask another couple of
questions regarding his paralysis.  Casper is still not walking *sigh* and
has gotten worse.
 
He no longer attempts to walk but rather drags his rear legs behind him.  He
still doesn't urinate on his own and usually poops when he is walking or
straining to get up the step into the kitchen.  So I took him back again to
Dr Kemmerer in Gainesville.
 
Since his condition worsened after removing the left adrenal gland, she felt
that the adrenal tumor may have been hiding a spinal injury, and on his last
visit a couple of weeks ago, took a couple of x-rays to look for signs of an
injury to his spine.  She explained that she saw also signs of damage when
she checked Casper's reflexes.  (Sorry, I don't remember the medical term,
but basically when stimulated on the left foot, he would stiffen his right
leg.)
 
She showed me the x-rays and explained she didn't see any apparent injuries
but she wanted to put Casper back on the pred to see if that would help.
She also told me of a colleage who is a neurologist and has been wanting to
perform a milogram on a ferret.
 
I don't believe I have ever heard anyone discuss having this procedure done
on their ferret. Does anyone have experience or additional information on
this procedure?
 
While this procedure would be done at little, if any, cost to me, I am not
sure if I want Casper subjected to this risky procedure.  He is such a
little trouper; he doesn't let the fact that he can't walk stop him from
doing his normal ferret stuff, it just takes him a little longer and he has
to do it on the floor.  :D
 
I have tried moving Casper's legs for him when he is laying in my lap -
making him extend and retract his legs or moving them in a motion similar to
walking.  Am I kidding myself that this will help keep his muscles from
atrophying?  Are there certain movements I should make with his legs?  (I do
have to be careful how I touch the back of his legs or around his tail - if
I stimulate him the wrong way, he pees all over the place!  Just last nite
when I lifted his rump to set his legs underneath him, he curled his toes
under and then started to pee all over the carpet.  :o)
 
Happy ferreting!
 
Susie Sherman
 
===============================================
   Those who bring sunshine to the lives
 of others cannot keep it from themselves.
 
                      -- Sir James Barrie
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[Posted in FML issue 1752]