I need some advice from those of you who've dealt with back injuries in
ferrets....
 
Little Tyler - he's only 2.3 lbs - had an accident (I think Rhodri the Moose
bounced him a little too hard in the wrong place at just the wrong moment)
and is now semi-paralyzed in his rear legs.  He does have some feeling in
his toes, but you have to pinch him hard to know it.  He has more feeling in
the skin on his lower abdomen (he flinches when I wipe him down, if the
cloth is cold....) He seems to have bladder control, but has almost no
control over his bowels, or his back legs or tail.  There is a "sensitive
spot" in his spine now, about 1/4 of the way up his back from his pelvis,
and he'll flinch if you press it.  Dr. Klein suspects compression of the
spinal cord, and has started him on steroid therapy to help reduce the
swelling around it.  She gave him an injection of Dexamethasone to start him
off, and he's to get 1ml PediaPred twice daily.  He's also on enforced rest
in a single story cage with linoleum flooring, and no ferret allowed to do
more than sniff noses with him.  (as a side note - about 2 hours after the
shot of Dex, he got his back legs under him and managed to put weight on
them for a moment - although it didn't last very long.)
 
She's going to re-evaluate him on Tuesday.  She did say that as long as
we're patient, and keep him quiet, that he has an even chance of recovering
completely - as long as the nerves themselves weren't damaged.  However, it
may take some weeks or months, depending on the severity of the compression.
 
He's not wanting to stop "being a ferret" and drags himself all over with his
front legs whenever I take him out for just a moment to clean up his messes.
I'm also cleaning him, since he can't get out of his own way when he poops.
(I plan on picking up a good supply of Baby wipes) I don't allow him out at
any other time, so that he can't aggravate the injury.
 
He's eating well, and is not dehydrated.  His stools are a bit runny and
sticky, but not discolored.  He does seem a bit depressed, or it could be
just plain frustrated, that he can't make his back end work right, and seems
grimly determined to overcome this "inconvenience." He's also mad at me for
keeping him locked up.
 
So, what else can I do to help make his convalescence (he says,
"Imprisonment!") easier on both him, and on me?  Once he begins to recover,
what kind of therapy would be appropriate, if any?  And, if he doesn't
recover use of his hips and legs, how will this affect his overall health
and lifespan?
 
Many thanks for any suggestions.
 
Carla S.
WhyNot? Ferrets
Rio Grande Domestic Ferret Club
[Posted in FML issue 1875]