Almost a couple of weeks ago now, I started noticing Stinky was not using
the litter box all the time, like she usually does.  When she missed, it was
usually just a tiny piece of poop.  I then noticed her entering the litter
box and straining but producing nothing.  I had a look and discovered a
rectal prolapse with a little blood on it.  The prolapse would go back
inside after about 30 seconds.  She was able to poop normally sometimes, but
other times only a tiny bit would come out and she prolapsed each time.
 
Took Stinky to the vet and he basically said ignore it unless it gets worse,
that surgery was not likely to be successful.  He didn't suggest antibiotics
or anything, and a stool sample tested normal.
 
So I don't think Stinky is getting any worse, but she's not getting any
better either and I don't know what to do :( I can't trust her out of the
cage anymore and I have even had to move her out of the huge 5 level cage
that she shares with Waldo and Mischief because she is pooping and peeing
ALL OVER THE PLACE even in the cage, even after I added a second litter box
for her so she didn't have to go all the way down to the bottom.  The
problem is that W and M will go where she has gone and it was really
starting to smell awful.  Now that I have put her in a Vari Kennel alone and
totally cleaned the big cage, W and M are being reliable again.
 
I feel so badly for her!  She is her normal happy self 90% of the time, but
I can tell pooping makes her uncomfortable and she seems to have to do it
very frequently...maybe every 30 to 45 minutes, with several attempts!  The
prolapse doesn't always go back in and there is blood on it and on her bum
fur sometimes.  I think she is more comfortable in the Vari Kennel...only
room for a litter box, hammock, food and water and she can get to the litter
much more easily than in the big cage, there's no room for mistakes, but I
really hate to isolate her.
 
I have spoken to a person who has a ferret that was prolased since kit-hood
and is now 6 years old (Stinky was born March 96 and this is the first sign
of a problem) but that ferret does not seem to have the problems Stinky is
having.  Has anybody experienced this?  Will she be able to go back to a
normal life?  Has anybody had successful surgery for this?  Is it possible
there is some sort of infection or other complication with the prolapse that
I should be asking the vet to check for?  Is all this blood normal for a
prolapse?  Has anybody used something called coloidal (sp?) silver to treat
this?
 
Thank you for any help...
 
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[Posted in FML issue 1705]