Wanted you to know that Scooter got through his paw surgery with flying
colors.  I wasn't there when Steve picked him up so will have to learn some
details later, but I gather that this corrected portion of the damage
consisted of the phalanx having been bent almost completely upon itself so
that it actually grew downward back into the tissue of what remained of the
finger.  The sticking out portion from when the tissue retracted must then
have been at the bend rather than being a long healed break; it was the
fatty color of living bone.  Will have to find out: if it's still thought
that his novice mother did this in the early grooming, and if the thing
which came through his pad and slowly grew (requiring trimming 3 times a
year) which looked like a badly malformed claw actually was one.  Steve
said that we're supposed to go back in two weeks so that's scheduled.  Too
bad that the phalanx is gone now, but these things happen; he's gong to be
fine now and that's what counts.  The other mangled section was left alone
because it never kicks up.
 
Scooter's dressing lasted about 24 hours, but he's not messing with the
stitches and the paw looks fine -- just a touch swollen and full of
stitches.  He's got only a slight limp, but he's always been used to having
a bad hand there and is not otherwise affected -- running, climbing, etc.
He was grumpy yesterday -- not unexpected.  Scooter has his problems when
he is frightened; he has always been a bit touchy that way.  Normally when
we leave critters there everyone talks about what a joy they were, how they
each got hugs, how pleasant the individual is, how the ferret will be
missed -- but not yesterday.  Uh-uh, not a peep like that.  They wound up
with a boy who was unhappy about having to be away form the other ferrets
for a night, unhappy about not eating pre-surgically, unhappy about staying
up all night so he could have his say in the matter, frightened at being in
the hospital, and then cut-up.  I doubt he was any joy at all; he wasn't
for the first 3 or 4 hours at home, either.  Now he's calmed down and all
is fine, except that he thinks the best thing in the world is asking for a
water dish and then spilling it so that I have to change the cage a LOT.
 
Still tired from the all-nighter even though I got a full night's sleep
last night.  Was awakened at 8:15 by a sales call even though I'd tried
to sleep late.
 
Warpie's tests came out much, much better than expected, so the option of
surgery is not completely out for her very early insulinoma.  She's still
not the best of surgical candidates, but she's safe enough.  In her case
can collect some info on so-so individuals and decide which way to go.
Doubt a partial pancreatomy unless she's doing better than expected while
under and the growths are all in one area, but a nodulectomy with some
surrounding tissue out is still an option.  As is medication.  My problem
is that medication sometimes results in very short life span compared to
surgery as well as a short span without symptoms (and long-term pred has
its own downsides like loss of muscle mass which impinges on quality of
life), so it's a matter of comparing Charlie's numbers with the results
others have seen in terms of quantity and quality of life.  Right now we
are leaning in her case to doing nodulectom(ies) with some surrounding
tissue but not a large chunk out since in our ferrets we've had good
recovery from that surgery, it would be less stressful for a ferret who is
not an optimal surgical candidate, it would not have the downsides of pred
while giving more time, and it's something we've been very happy with in
other ferrets.  We've got a few weeks to decide in this situation.
Meanwhile, she is on pred and she loves lapping the crushed partial pill up
with her Ferretone.
[Posted in FML issue 2685]