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Post by Heather on Nov 25, 2008 13:01:59 GMT -5
Ohhh, I'm so sorry about your furbabies. I'm going to light healing candles for them and please give them hugs and snuggles from me and the furkids. Vent all you like sweetie, I've been there and will be there again It's all about loving these little ones. They tear your heart out again and again. I sometimes wonder why we keep getting another and another...when we know that there's heartbreak waiting around the corner Poor brave Merry....needles are horrible things and they're going to stick him some more before things are done. Little naked Poley....I will light a special candle for him on Wed. I hope they find that nasty tumour and everything works out for him. He's going in on Dec 3rd? right? Not tomorrow? I will check back with you tonight (as long as it's not snowing like last night my satelite doesn't function real well ) ciao
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Post by Alliemegan on Nov 26, 2008 1:24:42 GMT -5
Thanks for thinking of my guys, Heather. It's great to vent to someone who understand what you're going through. You're right ferrets are totally heartbreakers but we still can't help but love them. Poley is going in on Dec 3. I guess it still gives me time to read up, maybe a chance to back out... even though logically there's really no reason to. Poley is a good surgical candidate. It will cost us an arm and both legs but the little guy is worth it. Plus our vet has a track record of never loss a fuzzbutt in a right adrenal surgery (knock on wood, don't jinx anything now.... ) Merry was a brave boy indeed. Now that I know my own glucometer is just as good as the vet's, I'm not going to bring him in for BG test anymore. When I take his blood, I use a lancet on his paw pad. It might take me a few tries to get enough blood but he's never stressed like when they poke him with a needle. In fact, he's so distracted by his ferretone belly treat he hardly notice that I repeatedly prick his toes. Although sometimes he gets annoyed when I hold his foot for too long... How's Aremis doing these days? Give that skinny butt a big kiss for me! Are the new kids fitting in with the rest of your brood? Hope they're finding their bearings in the new home and a place in the packing order. Gonna put the kids to bed. Will check in with you tomorrow. Night night!
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Post by Heather on Nov 26, 2008 13:50:54 GMT -5
Aremis is still holding in, sometimes I just don't know how, poor little boy. The two newbies are fitting in well with the second business. So they're up and about and roaming with that group. The boy is fitting in well and loves his raw soupies. The little girl is withdrawn and unhappy. She's switching ok but she's not happy about being here. Rescue remedy is making things bareable for her but it's so hard. She misses her people, she cared for them. How's the food going, are they eating a more solid type of soupy? Chunkier meats? I will check in tonight (the weather here is really lousy, a mix of rain and snow) so if I don't pop in it's because my satelite dish is full of crap and I can't get on the internet. ciao
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Post by Alliemegan on Nov 26, 2008 17:32:19 GMT -5
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Post by Heather on Nov 27, 2008 0:41:35 GMT -5
Do you keep a bottle of rescue remedy in house? I've found it fantastic for getting them to relax after a stess or if I know that there's going to be a stressful situation (like going to the vets). I usually give a drop or two before and then again when I get back, with a few drops in their water for about 24 /48 hours. It just seems to help with transitions and it doesn't interfere with their meds either. You're right they're probably reacting to the stress from their adventure at the vets and want to be babied a little for their troubles. Hmmm warmed foods, hand fed....spoiled little furbabies...I would never do that....right ....I'm still hand feeding my newbies. I really doh't think I should be feeding the little boy, I honestly think he would probably consider eating on his own if I just let him get hungry (he's a little round ) I hope that your guys are settling back to normal soon. Give them all a big hug for me and tell them that they're brave little furbabies ciao
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Post by Alliemegan on Nov 28, 2008 11:45:16 GMT -5
No, I' not familiar with Rescue Remedy. Do you get that from health food stores? Sounds like a very handy thing to have around the house... Hubby is still sick at home, so the kids have the run of the house and they're getting 5 meals a day from Dad! Last night one of the little buggers (I suspected it was Tassy) somehow got up to the kitchen table when we're not looking, took all the meds from their meds bowl and hid them behind the fridge!! Good that he hadn't figure out how to pop the cap on the pred/ ferretone bottle or we would be in big trouble. I swear he was conspiring with Merry to hide the yucky pred! We'd adjusted Merry's pred to 1 mg BID. I wasn't thrilled about upping his meds again but our vet assured us that Mer's liver will be okay and as long as we keep making sure that he eats before we give him pred, he won't get an ulcer. I haven't checked Mer's blood sugar yet but the new dosage seems to be doing the trick. He's noticeably brighter and getting into more shenanigans this morning. Hopefully he'll hold steady for a while before we have to up his dosage again! It's almost the weekend and I can't wait until I can just hang out with the boys! We gotta hit the market this weekend and start stockpiling meat for the holidays. I wonder if they'll like turkey... Hey, are cranberries and stuffing okay for ferrets? Maybe I should set a plate for the kids at Christmas dinner! Just kidding. They're probably just going to knock over the gravy boat and complain that the turkey's WAY over cooked. Big hugs for Aremis!! Has newbie girl cheered up a bit?
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Post by Heather on Nov 28, 2008 13:16:42 GMT -5
Cranberries and stuffing aren't really part of the whole natural diet thing You might let them lick a spoon with a very little bit of cranberry sauce but..... remember you have Merry's blood sugar to think about, so that may not be a good idea. They might appreciate the turkey giblets and hearts though My guys think it's great if the turkey still has it's gibblets...there is more fighting and squabbling over that little piece of meat than anything else in the house (well short of fresh mouse) I'm sorry that hubby's still not well but I'm sure the furbabies are appreciating all this out of cage time Captain Jack (the name of the little boy newbie) has a thing for the table too, he will do just about anything to get up there. He's such a little thief, all the toys and a few of our things have come up missing only to be found in his various hideys Calypso (my sad little girl), is starting to come around, she actually came out and played a little and seems a little brighter today. Both like their raw foods but still haven't figured out the bowl is for eating out of....but I did catch Calypso helping herself to some rabbit so we're getting there. The vet got some pred made up that was chicken flavoured, it doesn't go down any better than the other icky stuff so it obviously just tastes icky no matter what they do. Aremis is now on syringe feedings...I did find him tucking into a mouse but it doesn't seem to matter what he's fed he's not getting any nutritional value out of it I hope you enjoy your weekend off Tell hubby to get well, it's a lousy time of year to feel like crap....I'm working all weekend but I will pop in, probably later in the evenings. ciao
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Post by Alliemegan on Nov 30, 2008 18:16:53 GMT -5
Calypso and Captain Jack! Great names! Welcome to the pack, kids! Merry's pred was compounded in ferretone. He doesn't seem to mind it too much. I think he objects more to the fact that I'm shoving the syringe in to his mouth than what comes out of it. I asked our vet to order the pred double concentrated (2 mg/ mL) so Mer only needs 0.5 mL BID. He also gets a little bit of soupy as a "chaser" after the pred so he's happy as a clam. Hubby's feeling a bit better so we went house hunting this weekend. One of the real estate agents at these open houses laughed at us when she overheard us talking about which room in the house would make the best ferret room!! Yup, we think SHE's the one who's insane. I mean, who wouldn't want their kids to have their own room?? Chinatown has become out staple for offal these days but the freshness of their chicken is a bit hit and miss. Hubby's going to hunt for some fresher drumsticks later in the week and maybe we'll try our luck with serving rabbit this time. However, I think all the rabbits from the market are already dressed, is it okay to substitute with chicken liver and hearts? Hope you had a good weekend. It's really icky outside in T.O., wet flurries and super windy. Hopefully it's better weather up where you are and may your satellite signal be strong!
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Post by Heather on Nov 30, 2008 21:01:52 GMT -5
I quite often create frankenprey ( a little bit of this and a little bit of that). I've used chicken bones for the bone in lamb mixes. Chicken hearts for turkey, rabbit and pork. Go with what you can get to cover the need. Your doing good. You have to wonder about people, not understanding getting a ferret room....really Who doesn't have one of those when you have your own house. Good luck house hunting....I so hate doing that. It's too bad that you can't create a house the way you can create a ferret's dinner The weather here is crap but Ive still got satelite so far Talk at you later. ciao
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Post by Alliemegan on Dec 2, 2008 0:24:45 GMT -5
Ohhhhh... that's what you mean by Frakenprey! Got it. Let's see what we can find at the market. Ever since we upped Merry's pred dosage to 1 mg BID, the little man became a little fart machine! He would suddenly jump out of his hammock, run downstairs to his litter box, makes his "face of concentration", and all he gets is a loud fart and a tiny deposit. I know pred might hurt their stomach but does it usually make them gassy? Should I put more pumpkin in his soupy? Poley's fleece hoodie finally arrived from the UK! He looks super snazzy in it and he actually doesn't mind wearing it. I'll post some pics tomorrow when I find my camera. It must be somewhere in the house... time check their hidey-holes. Will check in with you later!
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Post by Heather on Dec 2, 2008 1:11:54 GMT -5
I don't know about the farting thing Aremis doesn't seemed to be plagued with them, but then he's just starting to eat again, unfortunately, it's not all raw but a mix of baby food and carnivore care. Right now I will settle for anything, he is munching on necks, giblets and rats but not enough to keep himself alive so I guess I will just have to settle for that Napoleon is my little fart beast...just like you say...the look of rapt consentration and bliss...the loud blasting fart and then a little poppies My son keeps threatening to put a magazine rack beside the litter box....he takes so long in the box. You might add a little more pumpkin and see if that helps him with the gas. You are feeding him just before you give him his pred? That will ease any tummy problems. If he continues to have problems or appears to be in distress (tooth grinding and such) you may want to get some tummy meds which is to be given 1 hr before you give the pred. (I had to resort to this finally for Aremis). You will most definitely have to post pics of Mr. Poley in his new suit. I would so love to see it I'm sure he looks absolutely strapping I will check with you tomorrow, goodnight ciao
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Post by Alliemegan on Dec 4, 2008 0:24:01 GMT -5
We brought Poley in for his surgery today... and the news is not good. He has the worst case scenario -- the right adrenal had grown so big that it's sticking to his liver and wrapped around the vena cava. The only way to get the tumor out is to cut the vena cava. Our vet had debated for a long time and decided not to do the ligation today. We're going to wait until Poley's body had developed enough secondary blood vessels to even think about another surgery. Right now he's been put on Lupron to control the symptoms. Our vet has a lot of experience with right adrenal surgeries and this is the first time he couldn't remove the tumor because of the position of the growth.
It's only been 12 weeks since Poley's left adrenalectomy. And at the time, the right gland looks small and normal. There was no reason to suspect anything wrong with the right gland or put him on any medication. Yet in just 3 months, it had grown out of control and now we're wedged between a rock and a hard place.... We don't regret going with surgery but we're not sure we're going to go back in for more. It's just a lot of stress on his body. He gave us a bit of a scare today when he went into arrhythmia towards the end of the surgery and we almost lost him.
We're going to pick him up tomorrow and talk to our vet to form a plan and see how we can monitor the growth of tumor. The rest of the boys are doing okay. They needed a lot of persuasion at dinner time tonight. we're not sure if it's because they miss Poley or coz we came home late and it messed with their routine.
will pop in later tomorrow and let you know how Mr. Poley's doing.
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Post by Heather on Dec 4, 2008 0:40:58 GMT -5
I had a healing candle lit for Mr Poley, and was thinking a lot about him today. I'm sorry the news wasn't good . That's a horribly aggressive tumour I will light another healing candle for Mr. Poley and I will light a candle for you and your hubby to find strength and answers that you will need to find. In these cases we're so at the mercy of chance. I will check in on you again tomorrow. Sleep well, and good luck ciao
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Post by Alliemegan on Dec 5, 2008 8:22:07 GMT -5
Thanks for thinking of us, Heather. Poley came home yesterday and he was almost back to his old self. He was making a ruckus in the car when he tried to stand up on his back paws so he can see out the window! He hadn't left the cage for over 24 hours so he started charging around the house as soon as we let him out. It never seize to amaze me how tough and resiliant ferrets are. Such a close call in a major surgery and he bounces back just like that. He'd loss some weight since the surgery so we're constantly feeding him cream of chicken soup. Thankfully he's not being fuzzy like he use to, still needs some spoon feeding, but actually ate really well! Hubby gave him a new nickname -- more than once Poley tries to take the spoon we're feeding him with and hide it. So now we call him the "Dish"... who ran away with the spoon! The other boys are doing well too. Glad to have their brother home. We're cancelling all our plans this weekend to hang out with these sillies. It's gonna be great. Will check in with you later
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Post by Heather on Dec 5, 2008 9:01:50 GMT -5
I'm so glad the Mr Poley is doing so well. After loosing a couple of ferrets on the table, I have a tendency to hold my breath when anyone else's furbabies go in for surgery. It's such a risky business for these guys. Obviously, Poley has a very strong will to survive. His healing candle is still lit and there are 16 little fuzzies who are sending healing energy I'm sure that your little guys will enjoy having you to play with all weekend. I will check in with you later. Good luck ciao
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