Some of you may remember Alfie (CJ's Oliver), the sweet gray blaze boy whom I got last year. He has a rare but documented manifestation of the same genetic cluster that causes the blaze and deafness. Neural crest whatchmacallit. In his case, he has both the above but also a deformed jaw that opens only a tiny bit. He was on soft food, cut small, or gravy. The original shelter (CJ) was told by her vet that corrective surgery would be risky (since it's never been done), expensive, and probably unnecessary. It's generally been assumed that what would finally do him in would be complications from tooth decay. I've had his teeth cleaned (thanks, Santa!), but they can only get to the gum side, and without the benefit of hard food. . . The vet even had to improvise a way to anesthetize him, so that's another complication. . . Well, the past few days, he hasn't wanted to eat. I have tried tempting him with lots of extras in his soup and lots of coaxing, and he was making slurping noises and seemed to be eating. Last night I finally tried forcing him to eat, and though he slurps it up (until he's suddenly DONE, and fights me) his jaw is certainly locking up even more. There was just a tiny gap in the very front for me to dribble in some very watered down carnivore care. And he seemed dehydrated, so sq'ed but I'm wondering if he was even able to drink much on his own. (For the past month he has been running into things now and then; I don't know if that's related.) Will I have to do this feeding s'q every four hours to prevent an ulcer and/or dehydration and related complications? Should I assume he's got at least the beginnings of these things now? He was pooping black last night but with many feedings this has settled down to simple runs. He's sweet, perky, otherwise healthy, and only about 4. Really not ready to go. But he scared me by botttle brushing after an itty bitty sub-q, and then curling up in that way. That. Way. I guess I also hope that some vet/orthopedic veterinary surgeon out there has some previously unexplored ideas. And really wants to write a paper about this unusual and potentially high profile case. Really, the only thing I had thought of before all this, was checking into having the teeth removed by cutting into the bone (Since they can't be pulled). Radical, but the teeth were doing no good and endangering his life, so it seemed logical. Now, if they're closing more--I dunno if the teeth are even the issue any more. His vet (a wonderful ferret vet--one of 2 who I drive 8 hours each way for surgeries) sort of tentatively said it mught be myositis, but she really wasn't sure whether ferrets get this, or how to treat it. She suggested maybe a bone specialist (what was it--osteo? ortho?) or maybe a dentist/oral surgeon, or a "real" ferret specialist. (She's "real" to me, for most ferret things, but anyway. . . ) We're treating for the apparent ulcers, but being scruffed for every meal and drink of water doesn't seem like a permenant solution. And I can't run home during every lunch hour forever. OK and, however this turns out, his survival will probably be expensive so there may be some sort of raffle coming up. Would anyone be willing to help me with this? I hope you all can come up with options. Please cross post this if you feel it may help. --Clover and the rezweezils [Posted in FML 6093]