I have a 6-year-old ferret (Zooey) who just had surgery for adrenal &
insulinoma (plus stomach & lymph node biopsy).  She had the surgery 2 1/2
weeks ago.  She seemed to recover pretty well, she got her appetite right
back and perked up after a couple days.  She hasn't shown any real
difference in her activity level except she seems more alert than before.
She still sleeps a lot.
 
I am posting b/c if anyone has had an experience with an older ferret
recovering from this kind of surgery I would appreciate if they could tell
me how their ferret did afterwards.  I would just like some case studies so
I have something to go by.  Zooey's vet is very very knowledgable, and she
is still under his care b/c she needs medication for inflammatory bowel
disease.  I would just like to have an idea of how long it took other
ferrets to get their energy level up.  Her vet said her blood sugar level
should go back up w/i 48 hrs after her surgery.  She does seem more alert,
and she definitely is eating and drinking on her own.  I am feeding her
nutrical to try and get her weight back up (she's 1 1/4lbs--should be
1 3/4 lbs to just under 2 lbs).  She likes that stuff.
 
Where she's scaring me is she'll come up to me, wanting to get picked up.
I'll pick her up, and she'll get comfortable--all her little feet fit
right in the palm of my hand--rest her head on my wrist, and go to sleep.
Several times I've gone to sleep with her sleeping under my chin.  I'll
wake up 3 or 4 hours later, she'll be walking up and down the bed.  I'll
pick her up and pet her, and she'll curl right back where she was before
and go to sleep.  She never used to do that (before her insulinoma).  If
she were sleeping I could move her and she'd stay on my lap, but she would
never seek me out and fall asleep.  Part of me thinks she's bonded to me,
and that it's horribly cute; however, part of me is concerned her energy
level is still out of whack.
 
If anyone could give me some of their experiences I'd really appreciate it.
 
Thanks,
 
Minta
 
& Zooey
[Posted in FML issue 2936]