Things were progressing nicely with the three boys. The big DEW Spooky is learning to play and actually runs over to see people now when they come in. He still grabs a little too hard sometimes but not maliciously. He is amazed that his body moves in ways that it does and loves playing with Sniffy the little DEW, who has no issues at all. Just as sweet as can be. Snags on the other hand.........This poor boy who has become so dear to me has had quite the time. I came home from work 3wks ago to find him blocked. A blocked ferret is a nightmare. I took him in to work and had him unblocked, ran bloodwork and urine cultures. They came back that he had an infection and some kidney damage and he was treated with antibiotics and anti spasmodic drugs. We put him on a lower protein food, ran a second set of tests two weeks later and while improved was not 100%. Today would have been his last day of antibiotics. Yesterday he blocked again, and again last night. He was unblocked both times. This morning he went for an ultra-sound. This poor boy has a urachal diverticulum which is like a pocket on the bladder. From this he has kidney damage, stones and bladder ulcers. He had the stones and part of his bladder removed today but is far from out of the woods. His prognosis is guarded at best. I feel so badly for this boy. Because this is a congenital defect and I doubt he was the only one in his litter or of his lineage, please keep an eye on these ferrets for signs of blockage, running in and out of the litter pan, or straining to urinate. It is a life threatening emergency and needs immediate veterinary attention. [Posted in FML 5792]