Bumble is doing very well after his emergency surgery, and we got the great
news yesterday that there's no cancer involved.  Finally, a decent night's
sleep, except for Bumble's 1 a.m. play-ruckus with an empty Pringles can
that somehow got under my bed.  As for adrenal disease, the surgeon actually
saw and felt the glands during the operation, and they were normal.  The
cause of all this was a virulent bladder infection of unknown origin.
He'll have those scary-looking big blue stitches taken out in a week and
his blood and urine tested again.
 
I have a question regarding shots: when Bumble had his shots on September
14, the needle went in wrong during the first attempt and he yelped.  The
vet withdrew the needle and inserted it correctly, with no further trouble
or protest from Bumble.  Could the needle possibly have broken through
somehow to the bladder and set off the infection?  It doesn't really seem
possible, since the needle would be sterile and it would have taken 6 weeks
for the infection to reach the stage where Bumble complained.  (The surgeon
did say, however, that the infection was a long-standing one with a lot of
the pus having curdled in the bladder and abdominal wall.)  I'll ask the
surgeon my shot question, but would any vets/experts out there also please
express an opinion?  I hate the thought of approaching my regular vet about
it and having her think I was accusing her of something...I've just met
her, she's really nice, and is considered the top ferret vet in the city.
(She will be getting a copy of the Case Report, so maybe she'll say
something herself.)
 
Also, Bumble just loves his antibiotic and takes it with no mess or hassle.
He tries to get the whole bottle away from me.  I think it's because of its
strong orange aroma.  I've never tried him with any kind of orange treat.
Would it be OK to offer him orange juice or Tang after he's through with
the antibiotic?  If so, how much?
 
How long should it take for him to get his fur back?  I know there have
been prior posts about this, but I didn't pay much attention as I never
had a shaved ferret before.
 
Bumble has started using his stiff plastic megaphone-collar as a scoop,
running with his head down and sending toys and stuff scattering in front
of him.  Last night he ran it right between my bare toes.  Uncle Greg
calls him "Granny Clampett" as he looks like she did in her poke bonnet.
Sometimes I pick Bumble up under his armpits and talk into the collar,
pretending he's an old-fashioned candlestick telephone.  He gives me his
cocked-eyebrow "you're so goofy" look.  I take the collar off now and then
and gently rub his neck to give him a break, but he soon starts fooling
around with his stitches so it has to go back on.
 
The difference between the way things are now with Bumble from the way
they were a week ago seems miraculous.  Between Bumble and John Glenn, I'm
amazed at what "Geriatric" folk are capable of!
 
Hope you all have a fun Halloween weekend!  We're just staying home,
although Bumble wanted to go as Frankenfert.
[Posted in FML issue 2479]