Well, here is the update.  Last week at this time, I had lost hope in
saving my Maggie.  Her chest was tapped about 8 times and it kept filling
up.  The infection was not clearing with each flushing.  There were
chunks of pus coming out of her chest, and I did not know how much more
I wanted to put my little girl through.  We skipped last Tuesday and she
filled up and had trouble breathing by Wednesday.  So Anna (our Vet)
tapped her again Wednesday.  I made the decision to take her home with
me.  She came home with 2 antibiotics which need to be given 3 times a
day for at least 8 weeks, if she makes it.  Thursday she was at our local
vet for a case review and second opinion.  Her chest showed fluid, her
breathing slightly rapid, but ok.  We made the decision to skipped
Thursday, to give her a rest.  Friday, they tapped again, not good.
Still signs of infection.  So on Friday.....I made the decision to lets
see what happens over the weekend and if she is not better........I will
have her put to sleep.  I was loosing my Maggie girl.  Saturday came,
and she looked better then she did on Friday when I picked her up.  Her
color was back slightly, she was eating and she was interacting now with
our Moses and Bailey.  I put them into her playpen to keep her company.
She was grooming them and interacting.  She fought me tooth and nail
(literally) to take her medications.  Good sign.  Her breathing was good.
Sunday came around, breathing good and still very feisty.  So when Monday
came, I decided to still keep my appointment with Anna, but get a chest
x-ray.  On Monday evening, her chest did not have a lot of fluid in it.
She does not have any lung capacity in her right side, however, her body
seems to be compensating for it.  You could see her heart better, which
meant the fluid was not filling up.  We hope that the infection has now
walled itself off and that the antibiotics are finally taking care of it.
The other problem could be that the infection goes to other parts of the
body and will show up there.  She is definitely not out of the woods, but
making some tiny steps toward recovery.
 
Please keep my Maggie in your prayers and thoughts.  And please, be sure
to keep your ferrets safe when using Free Roam.  This is from a Free
Roaming accident at someone's house who was suppose to be caring for her.
The neglect has caused my Maggie tremendous pain and suffering and maybe
her life eventually.  For the couple of minutes of free roam, Maggie
suffered severe chest/neck and spine trauma which has lead to this
horrible infection.  It certainly does not seem worth it to me.  That
is why we are telling our story in hopes to save other ferrets from this
horrible issue.
 
Maggie's vet bills so far: $1965.25
Maggie will continue to have to have antibiotics for 8 weeks @ $26.00/21
days
Chest x-rays every week for those 8 weeks
Chest x-rays every two weeks for 6 months out
Chest x-rays every month until she is clear for 1 year.
Every chest x-ray and visit costs me $64.75
Gas/Tolls to Phila and back $30-40.00 each visit
The pain and suffering Maggie has to go through.....that cost to high to
calculate.
 
This should be a HUGE incentive for everyone to get a playpen by Martin's
Cages (www.martinscages.com) or be sure to OVER Ferret proof the room
they are in.
 
The playpens are safe, and can be fixed up to provide a WONDERFUL and
stimulating place for your ferrets to play and not get hurt.  Only have
your ferrets running a room when you are physically in that room and
they are under complete supervision.
 
Maggie and I would like to thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  I am
crossing my fingers that the infection does not spread and she continues
to be my Mag-Pie.  Her life will be shortened due to only having one
functioning lung.  But with each passing day with Maggie, I am thankful I
had it.
 
Marguerite
[Posted in FML issue 5148]