What are the early warning signs of a blockage?  Azrael's stools for the
past 1 1/2 days have been very small and loose.  He's urinating fine and is
eating, but not as heavily as usual.  He doesn't show any discomfort when I
rub his belly.
 
He is a 3 1/2 y old male sable, 2.6 pounds, current on all shots, and his
first set of geriatric blood work a few months ago came out clean.  He has
been alert and curious since we've moved but not as playful as usual.  Of
course, his primary playmate---me---has been pretty busy.
 
We did just move into a new apartment 2 days ago, and maybe all of the
excitement has thrown him off schedule.  But it's also possible that he ate
something that was on the floor.  He hasn't done something like that since
he was less than a year old, but he is fond of erasers and small rubbery
things.
 
Any thoughts?  Of course, I may go home from work today to a box full of doo
and my worries will be for naught.  I don't want to rush him to the vet
(very expensive in Washington DC---$400 once when he was coughing and
vomiting at 2 am and went to the emergency service and then had x-rays with
barium done the next day to see if he swallowed something.  Of course,
nothing was found, but later that week I caught him eating a cricket.  Hmm.
That would make me cough and vomit.), but I also don't want this to develop
into a serious problem.
 
Thanks for any advice.  I've really been enjoying the FML since I joined a
few weeks ago.  I've had Azrael since July 1993 and have not regretted a
single moment, but I never had any good ferret advice until I came on-line.
 
Lori Barber
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[Posted in FML issue 1571]