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Post by katt on Apr 26, 2010 20:55:05 GMT -5
Koda's nose seems dry and warm. I don't think he is dehydrated, but I gave him water anyways and he drank a little. He is sleeping a lot, but since it is finals week he is pretty bored. (How do you tell a ferret that they need to be patient and will get more attention in a few days? lol). Anyways, I jsut want to check and make sure it is ok, or if I should be worried about fever or something. I gave him a frozen water bottle and he played with it a bit, but he is sleeping now. He doesn't feel overly hot but it is like 70 something in my room...could it be too hot for him? :S
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Post by Heather on Apr 26, 2010 23:37:09 GMT -5
If you're concerned about dehydration, do the pinch test, it's not a real good test but it will put you in the ball park. Just grab the scruff and see how fast it returns to it's normal state. A dehydrated ferret's scruff will stay in that scruffed state after being released. A ferret's normal body temp is around 102 degrees. You can use an ear thermometer, its not totally accurate but it will give you a ballpark to work with. The most accurate method....well....let's just say Koda won't appreciate your company (it's a real bummer ) Ferrets who are bored sleep a lot and your room is a bit warm for him but not enough to get him sleeping. Sounds like he's possibly bored. Caged ferrets sleep alot. ciao
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Post by katt on Apr 27, 2010 2:02:25 GMT -5
Well I don't think he's dehydrated (per the pinch test) but is the warm nose anything to worry about? I know he is bored right now, and I feel terrible. But there is nothing I can do. I have a final tomorrow, and a HUGE final Friday. Then I will be DONE and can spend more time with him. But until then my main focus is school. And checking in on things like this to make sure he is healthy. I am a worry-wort. I am not sure if being premed makes you predisposed to be neurotic, or if being neurotic makes you predisposed to being premed. I'm like 99% sure I have stomach ulcers at the ripe old age of 21. It's pretty fantastic. lmao *shrugs* Just my nature. Obsessive Compulsive, neurotic, emotional, and highly protective of my little fuzz butt! haha (esp after spending $800 on him - he is my million dollar baby lol)
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Post by mustelidmusk on Apr 27, 2010 9:10:50 GMT -5
No - do not accept ulcers at 21.....most of the time, ulcers are caused by helicobater pylori in humans. (H. mustelae in ferrets). Stress makes things worse. But if you have ulcers, meds. should be take to get rid of them. If you just have acid reflux, meds should be aken to control this. Long term acid reflux can result in Barrets esophagus, which i a hyperplasia/pre-cancerous condition. You have too much life ahead of you to let treatable conditions trash your system at a young age!
It's been my experience that the warm dry nose that turns into a warm moist nose during play time indicates some sort of immune response, usually minor infection of sorts. Try some pro-biotics and digestive ezymes. If it's not cleared up in a week, Go to the vet and have a stool sample taken (a CBC would not hurt , but it's expensive). Your baby may have a high bacterial count or clostridium/coccidial/giardia flare-up in his digestive tract. Sometimes ear mites may cause an immune response, but my experience with the warm nose has almost always been a tummy thing that's easily cleared with a course of antibiotics.
Wait a minute - I just re-read your post----is Koda the one who ate the erasers and just had surgery??? If so, take him to the vet as soon as possible (but it's not an emergency). It's most likely a mior tummy thing, but you NEED to get him to a vet. They'll probably do a fecal and put him on antibiotics regardless of what they find. The last thing you want is peritonitis, a major intestinal infection, or scepticemia. Don't mess around with this - you could end up with more huge bills instead of an office visit and a run of antibiotics. Koda's system will be a little weak for a while ----they say it takes adult humans at least a year to fully recover from major surgery.
-jennifer
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Post by 1 on Apr 27, 2010 9:19:09 GMT -5
I din't know ferret noses where cold and wet! What Heather said, that scrufe trick thingy.
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Post by katt on Apr 27, 2010 18:00:17 GMT -5
Hmmm...ok, well I called the bet and told them what was going on to see if I could get a round of antibiotics without having to take him in. I am B-R-O-K-E! They are going to call back. He seems to feel fine otherwise - not dehydrated, eating and pooping and running around.(currently he is figuring out how to open my closet door) lmao I will keep you posted when they call me back. As for the ulcers - or whatever other stomach issue I have going on lol - I had planned to be seen this summer. It's been hard to get in when I am in school or work from 8-6...exactly when the hospital on base here is open. lol I tend to take better care of my critters than myself sometimes.
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Post by katt on Apr 27, 2010 18:12:19 GMT -5
Edit: they just called me back and I walked to the vet. She said that he can start to eat bone (YAY! ) again and to just keep an eye on him and watch is temperature. she doesn't want to give him antibiotics because he is doing so well otherwise and she doesn't want him to build a resistance to it (which as a biology student coming out of micro-bio I can totally support lmao). She said it could jsut be him still kind of recovering and that if he started getting discharge, not eating, pooping funny, sneezing a bunch, etc, that we should bring him in and go from there.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Apr 27, 2010 20:14:06 GMT -5
Oh cool!!!! I just wanted to make sure that you're in touch with your vet on this.....also, if you stay in touch with the vet after a big surgery/expense, you're more likely to get a prescription over the phone or a appointment without a charge for an office visit. Just keep an eye on that little nose . Lord knows you paid enough to have earned the right to bug the vet's office with questions and concerns. Little Koda went through a lot, so just continue to watch him carefully and call back with questions if his nose continues to remain dry and warm. Some probiotics and enzymes may help. Regarding antibiotics....you'd absolutely croak if you knew what they do to chronic Lyme disease patients like my husband. It's scary. It's good that you vet is being cautious with the drugs. And you need to take care of yourself as well....did you read the post in the medical section about extra virgin olive oil working against helicobacter pylori? Check it out... I think I added a link to the web page as well. Please feel free to pm me if you can't find the thread. Hugs to both you and Koda - you've both been through a lot lately!!! -jennifer
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Post by katt on Apr 28, 2010 0:36:10 GMT -5
Thanks Jennifer! I feel like just getting through finals this semester is a lot like being in a meat grinder....lol not to mention everything else. It's like I waste time studying making these posts and playing with Koda, but if I study I can't focus bc I worry about Koda. Yes I did see the research and I skimmed it but until after Friday EVERYTHING is on hold. I totally bombed my last OChem test, meaning I HAVE to Absolutely Demolish the final to get an A. I could get anywhere from a C to an A and I HAVE to have an A. Anyways, he is being kind of lethargic. I checked the temp and it is 78 F in here! I have the window open, a frozen water bottle in his cage, keep giving him water, have an extra water dish in there, and a fan blowing (it moves back and forth so it is not constant) on the top level of his cage. I think between being bored and hot that is why he is being kind of lethargic - I mean when I take him out he will still run and play and stuff. I just hope that is why - and maybe why his nose is dry - and not something worse... I feel so paranoid now!
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Post by mustelidmusk on Apr 29, 2010 21:55:15 GMT -5
If the vet was not concerned enough to try the antibiotics, then the risk is not great unless he starts showing other problems (not eating, etc.) Just keep an eye on him and call the vet with questions if you're concerned about any changes. I know it's impossible to not be paranoid, but your vet did a excellent job of saving Koda, so trust your vet's recommendation for now and keep a watchful eye. Good luck with finals - I STILL have nightmares about finals, and I'm over 50 -jennifer
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Post by katt on May 2, 2010 19:05:36 GMT -5
Thanks! haha I am SOOOOO glad they are over now! For the summer!
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