Hi all again: I have posted a few times now about my 6 year old ferret Ricky who suddenly became unable to walk properly with his hind legs. I won't post the story again, as I don't want to take up the time of those of you who already know his story--but please, if you don't know what's going on e-mail me and I'll tell you privately. I should also mention here...a few of you responded to early posts, if I didn't privately e-mail you I'd like to thank you here, and to Troy Lynn, thank you sooo much for the help you've offered so far. Still nothing seems to "fit" but I appreciate your observations--and your caring--more than words can say. I'm writing now because two new things have happened and I wonder if anyone might have new ideas. First, I'm having difficulty determining if Ricky is eating. He has a sister, Sassy, who he is *very* attached to, and I separated them for almost a day and they were so unhappy I put them back together. Problem is, now I can't monitor his eating (or lack thereof) habits. I am giving him, twice daily, Pred, some sulfa antibiotic, and NutriCal. I don't see many stools in their box, and I'm concerned. So tonight I sat vigil and waited, Ricky did poop but it was so, so black and tarry, and this is the second time I've found him having black tarry stools (also the only 2 stools I know of him having since this all started, but he'd be dead if he hasn't gone so I assume he's had more). What's this all about? How can it be related to his inability to walk, or is it? Mostly, is it possible that Ricky is not eating food at all, that the only nutrition he's getting is Nutrical, and the Nutrical (being so thick, etc.) is causing the black tarry stools? I should mention that he doesn't seem to be in any pain, but he's emaciated (has been very thin for over a year now), yet he still has maintained his activity level. He hobbles, but he takes every opportunity to use his runtime that I give him. The second thing is this: a few days ago his hind end weakness (dizzy-like walk) turned into a complete inability to use his back right leg...it just dragged behind him while he scooted around the room on the other 3 legs. The 4th leg is *not* paralyzed, he could move it. After 2 days of not being able to walk on the 4th leg he went back to using it, but doing the dizzy-like walk. The degree of inability to walk varies from day to day, some days he seems to be almost fine (but not 100%). Others, like this morning, it was painful to watch him try to walk. The test results on insulinoma haven't come back yet, but I talked to my vet on Saturday and now he is leaning away from that diagnosis. I'm so frustrated and I hate seeing my sweet boy so unhealthy. That's the end of my medical questions, if you have any thoughts please e-mail me!! I would like to take a moment, though, and talk about Ricky--I hope you don't mind but this is the "healing moment for mom." I watch this poor, frail boy every day, when I give him runtime. First he comes out of the cage when I pick him up. He gets his 1/4 pill, when I pry his mouth open and drop the pill in the back of his mouth. He swallows it, without fail, right away. Then comes the antibiotic, a liquid I give him via syringe. He HATES this stuff, but he doesn't fight me. I squirt the stuff in the back of his mouth, he swallows it with a horrible face, and when it's all over he rubs his face on my sleeve as if to say "that's what you get." But then he gets his treat--and possibly his only nutrition--of Nutrical, which he happily laps from the tube. I then gently set him on the floor and wait with pained anticipation to see if this is a day when he can walk or can't. The first few steps are always bad, but I let him find his legs on his own. He's alert, awake, and eager to go. The ferret room leads into the laundry room, only a board separating the two. This is always where he wants to be (but is never allowed), but I let him stand up and walk into the laundry room now because it's kind of a reward for being such a trooper. After he hobbles around that room a minute I bring him back to the ferret room and sit on the floor to observe. On bad days, he comes to me and just curls up in my lap, I believe he feels it is a "safe" place. But on good days, this poor critter still tries to do everything he could before. He was always a climber, but I tell you now he really likes it, I guess because he can go UP without having to use his back legs. It's the only direction he can go in that his legs don't give him grief. It brings tears to my eyes to see him trying so hard to be normal--everything else seems right, sort of--but his body won't let him. This little guy is such a trooper, I'm so proud. But I feel so guilty because the vets can't help, and I can't help. Maybe someone out there can. At the very least please say a prayer for Ricky. If we can't help him, maybe God can. Thanks for thinking of Ricky, and kiss all of your fuzzies for me. Kymberlie Becker Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association "Forget Puppy Love...There's nothing Greater than Ferret Love!" TM http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/ferretlady [Posted in FML issue 1917]