Last night Spot figured how to climb under the platform bed despite the
damage to his R rear leg from the stroke!!!  He's getting a bit slimmer
again, but I think that's because he's used to the leg enough that he can
move at a fair trot, and can even walk on tile now.  He is EXERCISING again!
Guess when I rip apart the back bathroom I can take the newspaper off most
of the floor.
 
'Chopper is doing remarkably well for a ferret in the last weeks of
cardiomyopathy.  Her Furosemide is up to 1.2 ml three times a day, and she
sleeps even more as this advances, so it is harder for Steve and for me, in
that we have to be exceedingly careful monitoring her ascites, massaging her
legs often to aid curculation, maintaining her potassium levels, and
preventing dehydration, but she STILL climbs every few days and enjoys her
short walks.  'Chopper's favorite activity in the world is kissing people
(She's the one who will kiss non-stop for 45 minutes if allowed so we have
to trade her off -- back and forth between Steve and me -- when lips get
sore.) and that has not been at all impeded by her illness.  Through this
whole thing she's had maybe three days with any discomfort since her
medicines (Digoxin, Enacard, Furosemide, NuSalt, Co-Enzyme 10 Q (with
Furovite and Efa-Z to provide the C and E it should be taken with), along
with some meds she has for another problem) have been working so well.  We
know that she could go anytime, but the treasure that her last months are
such pleasant ones is something for which we are grateful.
 
Just thought you'd want to know that after a decent test time (I guess a few
months) we continue to be extremely happy with the DiploMat doorway carpet
protector (though I wish I'd known about that heavy duty trimmer M.  has
before trying scissors).  We've had ferrets for over 15 years, and have
tried a number of things but this works best of what we've tried, bar none.
Have to add it to our list of best buys over the years: dishes which attach
to the side of the cage, shallow stainless steel puppy food pan in size
small for sick ferrets, Totally Ferret, the Weasel Watcher barriers,
Cheweasels, ramp pots and other litter pots with one lower and not-sharp
side, and so on.  It strikes me that others who have had ferrets for long
amounts of time might also want to tell which products have made them happy
(HINT, HINT) so new folks can skip a lot of the trial and error.  Now, we
have to get them to make a two sided (one side and a back) one with a floor
to put behind doors so that when ferrets go to the bathroom there it cleans
up easily.  (HINT, HINT, to anyone connected with DIPLOMAT.)
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2404]