Just a quick update.(some of you has already seen this post) I now have
the little guy with me.  His name was Noir.  We have renamed him Noah.
He is a bundle of joy.  I'm amazed that Lily (volunteer for transport)
passed him over to me!
 
His leg is broke..  he doesn't use it.  just kinda hops around.dragging
it.  it is his front right.  It is swollen too.  He had his vet
appointment yesterday morning.
 
The little bugger has spunk..  He wants to get out and play.
 
What was really bad was when I went home at 3 to go with Shawn to pick
him up Monday, I saw Chompie (9 year old shelter boy).  his eye had
started to bleed.  Now you see.  Chompie has a brain tumor and it was
pushing his right eye out.  His eye was completely covered (hard to
explain).  We knew it was only a matter of time.  but he has been eating
and running and even playing some.  He had a good quality of life.  But
with his eye bleeding.  there was no choice.  and we knew it.  I went to
pick up Noah, and Shawn took Chompie to the vet.  The vet determined that
the tumor had grown and was also now pushing on his other eye.  Shawn
helped him cross.
 
This is the first time we had to help a ferret cross when he wasn't ready
but his body was. not easy.
 
So.  the vet visit yesterday..  The vet did the x-ray on his right front
leg.  It is broke/dislocated.  It is the radius.  and dislocated at the
elbow joint.  Here is the problem.  Because of where it broke, it can't
be put back in.  Our vet even checked with an orthopedic surgeon.  He
agreed.  So right now we are going to watch him with his leg for about a
week and then evaluate again.  The vet feels that the best thing to do
might be to amputate and I tend to agree.  If he continues to drag the
leg around there could be other problems that he has to deal with once he
is older and I worry about him going through surgery.  We want to do what
is going to be best for him now and in the future.
 
Right now he is not in pain.  I sure don't know how.  but he's not.  Or
at least not showing it at all.  He is only 15 weeks old.  The vet said
that it appears that the bone was broke by a fall.  Which I can
understand.  These kits are so wild and ready to go as babies..  Even if
the previous owner had done the x-ray, they wouldn't have been able to do
anything (vet informed me of this).  From what I can tell, she got him
April 19 and he broke his leg April 23rd and went to the vet April 24th.
 
So, what happens now?  Well we will watch him for a week and let him have
normal exercise.  Then he will go back to the vet for evaluation and
possible surgery.  The amputation will be around $600.00.  We will
continue to raise funds for his surgery.
 
Let me tell you a little bit about this boy.  he is wonderful!  Great
personality.  really!  He is just happy go lucky.  loves to play and
LOVES his snake.  He takes his toys and puts them in his food bowl and
plays with them.  Doesn't bite hard and just loves everything.  He is a
dark sable.  and boy oh boy he steals your heart quickly.  I have some
pictures if anyone wants to see him right away.  I can't find my digital
camera so they are not the best quality.
 
Last night he was able to meet some of our permanent kids that are free
roam.  My goodness..  the boy can jump!  He LOVES other ferrets.  dooking
and playing and having a good time.  He was so tired from playing (but he
did wear everyone else out first) that when I put him up in his cage he
went right in the sleep sack that Tamatha had sent and fell fast asleep.
but I never once saw any pain on him..  And from what the vet said there
shouldn't be.
 
Thank you to everyone who has helped so far.  you all are awesome.  with
donations, prayers and with posting to other groups.  thank you.
 
I will be putting a page up on our shelters website soon so that people
can keep track of him.
 
I will be doing a post later about Chompies death.  right now I just
can't say much more than I have already.  But I will say this.  he passed
away on the same day that a close friends daughter passed away 2 years
prior..  She was only 8 months old.  so two angels are looking over their
loved ones and I know they have made friends even without ever meeting..
 
Hugs,
Joanne Ruffner
Ferret Corner Shelter
[Posted in FML issue 5239]