Hi all!
Good news again. I'm still feeding Ricky the mushed up stuff, and he's been
separated from Sassy since yesterday--tough decision, but neither seemed to
mind too much, they just slept. I was really frustrated, I went down to
check Ricky's litter this morning, still no presents in his litterbox, tarry
or otherwise. So I fed him again, and checked to see that he is walking
better--he is, still a little shaky but he ran across the floor without
falling over or tripping. I went back upstairs, the vet called, and then I
went out to do some errands. Then, this evening, I went for another
feeding, and THERE IT WAS! NORMAL POOPIES!!!!!!!
First, can someone tell me if this rules out ulcers/intestinal bleeding? If
he has either, would his stools always be black and tarry? I am so afraid
to hope, but to me, it seems that since we just figured out his lack of
eating was due to teeth hurting and bleeding, and then I started feeding
soft foods, then he poops normally, that my guess is right that all were
linked.
So anyway, I told my vet this morning about my teeth-hurting theory. He
said yes, that all of these things could be caused by not eating due to
tooth pain, but of course he was hesitant--it might be or we could have
several things going on here. However, at the end of the conversation he
said that we have reason to hope, so there I go, hoping again.
So, now I put Ricky back with Sassy, his reward for doing "good business."
One odd thing was that while the stools weren't runny (much--a tiny bit but
nothing I'd consider abnormal) there was one pile out of the litterbox, and
one pile in the corner of the litterbox but kind of messy, like he was in a
hurry to go and didn't quite make it. He also had some on his stomach,
which I happily cleaned off while praising him. I don't know what was up
there, maybe it's just been so long since he did "good business" that he
forgot how to do it :-)
EVERYONE PLEASE NOTE: I received so, so, sooo many letters and bits of
advice and suggestions from you guys, I honestly can't reply to each and
every one of you personally. For this, I apologize profusely, but I want to
spend as little time on this computer so I can spend time with Ricky--we've
bonded like we never were before! I want you all to know that all of these
"pieces" began to fit after receiving lots of your advice, particularly the
stuff about hind-end weakness being caused (possibly) by lack of nutrition.
I should have figured that out, but it was you guys that made me realize
that this wasn't insulinoma (still don't have the test results there, BTW)
but a lack of eating. And for those of you who explained the black tarry
stools, and their relation to the Nutrical and the possibility of it being
due to blood swallowed, that made the other pieces fit. I could not have
come to these conclusions without all of your help (and thoughts and hugs),
and without you all Ricky might still be hungry and sick. So, my SINCEREST
THANK YOUs to you all. I won't forget you.
Of course, this isn't 100% certain that Ricky's condition was only
tooth-related, and if anything (God forbid) should prove otherwise, I will
keep everyone posted. I am an optimist by nature, and I like it that way.
So, until Ricky tells me otherwise, I think we're out of the woods. On
Friday the vet is going to call and we are going to discuss the options of
how to fix Ricky's teeth. Wow--if we fix his teeth and Ricky is OK, we're
going to push for another 4, 5, or even 6 years together (he's 6 now).
THAT'S optimism, but hey, it hasn't failed me thus far! :-)
Thanks again to the single one group that REALLY cared about Ricky.
BTW--even my mother, the animal lover, told me maybe it's time to "put Ricky
down"...talk about what a tragedy it would have been to do that when all he
needed was a little tooth fixin'....
Kymberlie Becker
Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association
"Forget Puppy Love...There's nothing Greater than Ferret Love!" TM
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/ferretlady
[Posted in FML issue 1919]
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