Jerry, one of our two original ferrets, just turned 7 on or about December
1st.  She recovered well from adrenal/insulinoma surgery which was performed
on October 18.  Unfortunately, her kidney failure is progressing.  Her BUN
is now in the 160's.  We are syringe-feeding Jerry 4 times a day with Fran
Wiles' recipe.  Jerry has a lot of nausea, but she is still holding down all
her food and is still gaining weight (she had lost several ounces before we
started syringe-feeding her around the end of September).  We even have to
give Jerry water by hand.  She prefers Deer Park water from a spoon or
bottlecap.  She especially likes licking the water from the mouth of the
bottle while the water is flowing out.  We don't mind giving Jerry exactly
what she wants because we know our time with her is growing short.  Jerry is
on Amoxicillin, Carafate, Tums, and Pet Tinic.  Bill gives her subcutaneous
fluid injections.  He is going to increase the frequency to once every four
days.
 
If anyone knows anything else we should be doing for Jerry, please let us
know.  We have already lowered the protein content of her food, and we're
going to use the recommended protein amount for cats with kidney failure
(published in the Merck Veterinary Manual) to see if we should reduce it
further.  The veterinarians who have seen her have different opinions on the
frequency of injections and the need for Amphogel, so any FML veterinarians'
input on those topics would be appreciated.
 
Jerry can still climb a flight of steps at a pretty good pace, and she still
picks up her plastic lids (sort of like ferret frisbees) and puts them where
she thinks they belong.  On some days she still eats raisins, but on other
days she just takes them and puts them down.
 
Clare and Bill
Lupi (Perpetually Hungry Dog)
Ben (Queen Ferret)
Jerry (Frisbee Ferret)
Buttercup (Litterbox Excavating Ferret)
Bridgett (Perpetually Hungry Ferret)
Jasmine (Demolition Expert Ferret)
[Posted in FML issue 1783]