Yesterday, as is the usual custom, all four of my fuzzbutts got their
weekly (more like every ten days or so) dose of laxatone.  They all enjoy
grooming each other and I like keeping the possibility of hairballs to a
minimum.  As expected everyone had slightly loose stool at their next potty
break, but someone had some pinkish liquid in theirs and of course with
four ferrets and one potty space I couldn't determine whose it was.  I
spent the next four hours watching everyone like a hawk, eliminating them
one by one and then confirming that Flake was the one with the problem when
he passed a fair quantity of almost pure liquid right in front of me that
was very dark pink/reddish in colour.
 
My first thought was that he had injested something to cause this, as from
what I know blood passed from internal bleeding is almost always black by
the time it is passed, or much darker and this was not.  But there has been
NOTHING in their environment that was red or pink that could have been
injested, not paper, not a treat or anything at all.  Off to the emergency
vet we went at 2am.  Thankfully our emergency clinic has a ferret
knowledgable vet there almost all the time.  Unfortunately most of the
sample had missed the litter box so I had nothing to take with me to the
emergency vet but a pink wad of tissue from which the vet could get
nothing.
 
We waited a bit to see if we could get another sample and the vet did the
best he could with the small bit he was able to collect rectally and did
confirm some blood but could find nothing else.  To rule the possibility of
parasites out he gave Flake a wormer (banana flavoured even) and prescribed
amoxy.  No need for sub q fluid as he wasn't at all dehydrated.  He said
that if there was any sign of lethargy (which as yet Flake seemed happy as
a clam), and the blood continued that definately more tests would have to
be run or xrays done to see what might be going on.
 
I've been up pretty much all night and he's not had anymore blood, not
even a faint tinge in stool or urine.  I started him on the amoxy and have
supplemented his food with some of Bob C's gravy (which is always on hand
in the freezer) which he loves, and made sure he has been drinking plenty.
He's tired, but then so am I.
 
Has anyone ever had a singular instance of blood in the stool (actually
twice), where no cause was found?  His rectum was thoroughly examined and
shows no signs of injury or prolapse, and he's not run a temperature.  The
only thing I can think of, silly as it sounds, is that possibly he ate an
insect of some kind?  (looks even sillier when I type it) Any information
or insight would be greatly appreciated.  The emergency clinic faxed the
particulars to my regular vet, and I'll be talking to him when he is back
in the office Monday (sooner if there is a problem).
 
Apologies for length,
Robynn McCarthy and the Fearsome Foursome
[Posted in FML issue 2745]