It has been a long week.  Baby a 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 year old male, that Norman
adopted in November 1998 changed from a healthy active (for him - he always
has been a lazy, laid-back boy) to a skinny thing that looked near death.
Last weekend Baby became lethargic, started losing weight (by mid-week he
had lost 7 1/2 ouncess of his 3 pound weight), and then became extremely
itchy.  Over the past week he has been seen by the vet several times, Had a
complete blood work-up, a general x-ray and a series of barium x-rays and
was given fluids.  He has a slightly enlarged spleen and a very low red
blood count (hematocrit) and the x-rays showed a hair-ball (in spite of the
petromalt and brushings) and a very small object (?) in his stomach.
 
The good news is there is no blockage at this point.  Also by Friday we
started seeing him gain back some lost weight - Thanks to Bob Church's
Chicken gravy, Gerber's baby food chicken, esbalac, and ferretvite, also
a little of Handsome's herbal suppliments (recipie for cardiomyopathy
ferrets) each day.  He started out eating only a little nutri-cal, but
eventually worked up to more substantial food and now eagerly looks for
it and has gone back to munching on his Totally Ferret food.
 
The Bad news is that he will be having surgery on Monday morning to remove
the objects in his stomach.  We are spending the weekend trying to get him
back in as good as shape as possible - feed as much as possible to get his
strength and weight back up.  Dr. Bradley and us are concerned because of
the low red blood count.  He is going to check it again before surgery and
may even give him a little blood transfusion from one or more of the other
ferrets.  During the surgery he is going to quickly check the adrenals
(because of the itchiness and start of hairloss) and get a spleen and lymph
node sample so we can try to find out the cause of the low red blood count
and the itchiness.
 
Norman is really worried that his wonderful Baby might not make it - or we
won't find out all the reason's behide the problems and have to go through
something like this again.  Keep Baby, Norman and our already financially
challenged budget in your prayers.  Norman turns 16 in about a week and is
trying to find a job to help out financially.  We have already paid almost
a $100 and have another $235 in fees accumulated for the work this past
week, prior to the bill(s) for the surgery and follow-up on the other
problems.  (I've been off of work for 7 weeks - go back Monday - recovering
from surgery for myself - this couldn't come at a worse time).  But,
somehow - by shear will maybe - we will all pull through - Baby,
especially.  He is such a sweet, easy going fellow.
 
Frisky, Norman's first Ferret and the one that got us all hooked on
ferrets, is also worried about Baby.  We find he sleeping beside him,
curled against his back or lying by him looking worried - it is soooo
sweet.
 
A note to any ferret owners in Lawrence, KS area. - Br. Bradley is a good
ferret vet, while he admits he still has a lot to learn, he doesn't
hesitate and insists on contacting vets, out of town, with more experience
for advice. When I expressed concern at Baby being at the Animal Hospital
alone on Monday evening after surgery - he reassured us to not be.  He
will be taking baby home to sleep by his bed, with a flashlight handy, so
he can check up on him throught the night.  That sold me.
 
Keep Baby in your thoughts and prayer's for Monday - Thanks
 
Linda, Norman
and the 4 fuzzy and sweet terrors: Frisky, Sassy, Mae, and Handsome
and one sick little boy, Baby
 
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[Posted in FML issue 3087]