I adopted Biscuit, a 1 year old sable siamese female, about a month ago.
She was found wandering the streets of Trenton, New Jersey, dragging her
back legs.  She still has problems using her hind legs, but is using them
more, especially when she's on carpet, or towels, something that's not
slippery.
 
She is also basically incontinent, she releases her bowels when she wakes
up, no matter if she's being held or not...she will also poop if she's
startled.
 
The problem I see may not even be a problem at all...or it may be a worse
problem than I know.
 
Biscuit never seems to empty her bladder fully...she will urinate in small
amounts, I guess when her bladder gets too full.  I know when her bladder
is full, because her stomach gets bigger, and bloated looking.  I was
advised by a vet tech to express her bladder, and I've been shown how to
do it, and I don't see anything wrong with doing it...but I do have a few
questions.
 
Will expressing her bladder daily weaken or damage her sphincter muscles?
 
Will not expressing her bladder cause bladder and kidney damage, from the
toxins in the urine remaining in her system for too long?
 
I know that she doesn't urinate a lot, because I change the sheets and
blankets that she sleeps in every day...and I notice small urine spots,
but no larger ones, like one would see from a normal urination.
 
I don't know if anyone out there has dealt with this, or a similar
situation....I'd like to hear from you....My Biscuit is a special angel,
and all the extra work and care that I give her is so very much worth it.
I wouldn't trade my "special needs" ferret for the world!
 
Thank you all in advance for your help.
 
Melissa
 
Shiloh, Yappers, Binks, and Biscuit
[Posted in FML issue 2878]