Hi Guys, Sorry this is soooooo late but after being up so long (well over 24 hours) and stressed out I went into a coma until maybe 7pm tonite. Feeling better now and so are my two boys. We went to the vet yesterday and it was pretty good news. First he checked out Lightbug and when he put the thermometer up his (well you know where) he fought like a little demon until it fell out onto the table and broke all over. I said "Lightbug now you've gone and broke the Doctor's buttstick!" everyone had a good laugh and the vet decided it was wiser to use those plastic digital thermometers instead. Light had about a 1 degree temp. so he gave me Clavamox liquid antibiotics. Of course Light detests them and I am having a heck of time getting them down him. He also told us to feed him the AD Prescription Diet and no more Deliver until he gets back on his dry food. Other than that we could find nothing else really wrong. Thank the Great Spirit. The exciting news was how much Lightstar now weighs after all that yummy Deliver 2.0. He weighed in at about 2 lbs. before his spleen was removed and you could feel his ribs so easily. As of yesterday he weighed in at just a tad under 2 3/4 lbs.!! He looks sooooo much better and is not fat but just right. Even the Doc was shocked he had managed to gain so much weight so quickly and easily. Boy guys this stuff really works for weight gain so try it if you need it. Just be prepared for them to get addicted to the stuff and make sure they don't get so spoiled with it that they don't eat anything else. Next came Otee who I am sure would also have broken the Doc's buttstick had he been given the chance. He also fought like a demon over that. His teeth and mouth looked good, his temp. was fine, his tummy felt fine, etc... So the Doc basically said to start giving him the AD as well until he will start to eat the solid food. No yucky antibiotics to force down him thank goodness. Last nite I gave the AD to both and was pleased to find that Light would eat it on his own but in small amounts. So I am giving him what he will eat each time he gets up about every 3 hours or so. I was afraid he would refuse anything other than the Deliver at this point. But Otee was a whole 'nother story! He absolutely refused it and so I had to force feed with a syringe but at least I got it down him. A while back I found this neat feeding syringe at Petsmart and bought it even tho I had no need of it at that time (smart girl). It is a regular syringe but has this attachment that is soft clear plastic that comes out in a maybe 2 1/2 to 3 inch long sm. diameter tube. I tried that today and it sure made a difference in feeding my newest squirt Otee. Hopefully soon he will be eating the dry on his own. He seems much calmer and much less unhappy at this point. I actually found him sleeping out in the open today which he has never done before. He allows me to hold him a bit longer and doesn't seem to mind my constant kisses so much. I look forward to him becoming a very happy member of this family. Later he was seen exploring and playing on the cat scratch post and in the cat cozy. As of about 8pm tonite I am very happy to report that I saw Otee actually drinking water from the self-waterer all on his own. Then I caught Lightbug eating his regular dry food and drinking water on his own in the pooter room just a short bit ago. I am a happy Mommy now. Both will still get the AD as wanted but now I know Light is willing to eat some dry as well. I sure hope Otee decides soon that it is yummy stuff too. I want to thank Gary H. and all others that wrote to me with helpful suggestions during this time. This is the 1st time I have ever had to do force-feedings and now I know all too well what others of you have gone thru with this. It is definitely not a fun thing and can sure be messy at times. I may ask the vet for different antibiotics for Light that he will take w/o so much hassle and then I can be sure he is getting all he needs. I tried mixing it in the Deliver but he smelled it and flatly refused it. I mixed it with some AD and he ate it but I know he didn't get all he should have since he didn't eat all the food tho it was a pretty small amount. Why in the world do they prescribe a minty odd tasting medicine for animals? My Mom said she has never had an animal that liked mint. I wish they would develope special variations of the medicines animals need that are formulated for their tastes. It sure would help matters. Well, I will keep you updated on the progress these two make. BTW it is now official that Grandma is hopelessly in love with Otee. When it came time to pay the bill she told the lady to make seperate bills for my two and she paid for Otee's! What a sucker she is, but we wouldn't want her any other way. I am truly shocked she is not throwing a hissy over Otee joining our family. Hey Killian or anyone do you have any idea what color this little guy is considered to be? He looks like a black-eyed white only now he has a lot of the silver color markings all across his back and into his haunches. The tail has a small amount of silver color but is mainly white. He still has white feets tho. There is silver color up on the top back of his head but not much. Then he has this butterscotchy color running thru his back area. His tummy is salt & peppered w/mostly white. Like I said he looks just like a baby seal. Absolutely gorgeous! Kelleen (Awww, come on Otee, this is GOOD stuff! Please, ack, more pastey food all over my ferret t-shirt! Light you are such a GOOD boy! No messes with you sweetie.) Otee (Good stuff my ---! Quit shoving that stuff in my mouth! Oh well guess I'll sort of give in, this time. I think maybe I like you anyway lady.) Lightstar (Hmmm, not too bad MooMaw, I'll eat this all by myself and make you a very happy Mommy. I love you sooooo much. I KNOW I am a good boy but those yucky anti thingys are a whole 'nother thing.) ***************************************************** * Kelleen & The INSANE Animal House * * [log in to unmask] * * President & Founder of * F.A.N.G.* * * (Ferret Association of Neverending Glee) * * Location : Boise, Idaho * ***************************************************** * I'll take a good animal over a good mate anyday! * * All they want is lots of love and great chow. * ***************************************************** * Idiocy is our only option! * * Dustin Hoffman from movie Outbreak * ***************************************************** [Posted in FML issue 1474]