Hi!
 
I am new to the mailing list.....well I should say, I am new again.  I
use to run a ferret club many years ago and was on the list then.  But
I would say its been 6 years or so since then.
 
Anyway, I need some help.  I have a 5 year old ferret named Meadow.
There is a ?  about her age because we got her 4 1/2 years ago from a
ferret shelter.  We think she was at least a year at the time.  But we
know she is at least 5.  Last week, I believe it was Friday, I noticed
that Meadow was sleeping a lot more then usual.  She is a very active
ferret so I found this odd.  By Saturday she was very uneasy when she was
picked up.  Her legs in the front would extend like she was looking for
something to grab onto.  And you could tell she was very distraught.  By
Monday she could barely walk around.  Her back legs were dragging behind
her.  I took her to the vet as soon as I could get in.  I would have
taken her earlier, but the vet is off Th-Sun.  Our vet, who is the most
wonderful exotic vet in Nevada, said she would put money on that it was
insulinoma.  Of course that was in the front of my mind.  But her
symptoms seemed so much more then just a glucose problem.  The vet did
some xrays and blood work.  Her glucose level was 85, so it was pretty
normal and her xrays showed nothing.  She kept Meadow overnight and by
this morning (Tuesday) Meadow had gotten worse.  The vet doesnt think
that Meadow can see at this point.  But all the rest of her bloodwork was
fine.  Her lymphocytes were fine.  White blood cell count was normal....
everything looked fine.  But here is this ferret who cant walk and
probably cant see either and we dont know whats wrong with her.  My
concern was Aleutians.  But the vet said most likely not....especially
since her blood count was good.  My ferrets are not current on their
vaccines.  I know....bad ferret mommy.  But they are all getting old
(Chicken is 7, Bailey is 6 and then Meadow is 5 or so).  So I dont want
to stress their bodies out anymore with vaccines.  So it has been about 2
1/2 years since their last rabies vaccine and maybe a little less since
there last distemper vaccines.  So the thought has crossed my mind that
maybe this is one of those two because of the neurologic signs.  But my
ferrets NEVER go out of the house.  They actually never go out of the
upstairs portion of my house.  They dont come in contact with my dogs
either.  So I dont see how rabies or distemper is possibly....neither
does the vet.  Trauma is a consideration.  But she is getting worse, not
better.  The vet says maybe a brain or spinal tumor or lymphoma.  But how
can all the test results be normal with such a sick ferret?  I am sooo
lost.  I cannot stand to watch my poor baby suffer.  The vet has her on a
high dose of prednisone to see if that helps and pain meds to help with
the discomfort.  But if she isnt showing any improvement by tomorrow
(Wed), I think I am going to have to put her down.  Sure, I could do all
sorts of brain tests, but would it help?  Chances are there is no cure
for what is wrong with her.
 
I am hoping that someone reading this can shed some light on the
situation.  I am not sure when this will go out.  But I hope it will
go out before I put her down.  If you can help, please email me at
[log in to unmask] .  I really appreciate any feedback you have!
 
Thanks so much!
 
Samantha Pfaffinger
Las Vegas, NV
[Posted in FML issue 4706]