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Post by tommy on Jun 13, 2010 14:55:23 GMT -5
Heather: I've bought minced veal and chicken wings today to add to the quail diet, thanks! I will skip cranberry juice next time and it's really great news that she can have yolk and white. I was intending to keep the white as my face mask (I love yolks too!) but it'll be so much easier if she has the whole egg. Jennifer: I was going to try swimming again today but Ferry was playing around in a paper bag and accidentally spilled water from the water bowl. She got into a crazy panic! So I skipped swimming but her harness and leash came today and we took her to a walk in a friend's garden nearby. It was such a nightmare to take her there in her basket but it was worth it. When Ferry sits/crouches, her legs are generally unfolded and stretched out behind her. When she starts walking, she just drags them straight out behind her. I bought some dehydrated beef liver thinking it will be a good treat but she's not especially into them. It'll be difficult to get her to sit up and beg for anything. She doesn't play with toys either. All she wants to do at the moment is to lick and play-nip our hands. She was given 0.5 ml Delvosterone on 25/5 and another jab on 11/6. The other vet I took her to mentioned an implant but thinks it's another complication to give it to her at this stage. He suggests monitoring her leg condition for the next two weeks to see how she progresses. I'm keeping an eye on her gums. Have also added veal to her diet and will try to get more raw liver in. Will keep a close eye on her vulva to see if her swelling is going down or not from the second jab. Anyway, a video of her walking www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF6QwyVKZgcShe still drags her back legs very close to the ground and doesn't seem to have much strength in them but at least she's moving them, much better than 3 weeks ago. I'm going to find some chicken feet to feed her. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we believe in "treating like with like". If you have problem with your kidneys, eat pig's kidneys. Mum would make us pig's brain soup when we are having exams. It seemed illogical and silly when I was younger but now it makes a bit of sense. I'm hoping the soft bones and gelatin in the chicken feet will be good for her feet.
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Post by Heather on Jun 13, 2010 17:43:23 GMT -5
I just watched your video. Ferry is doing awesome. She may never be real steady but she's walking and that's what counts. She's using those back legs, now she just needs to get strength to them. You taking her for walks and such is a great way for her to regain the use of her back legs. Mayhem, suffered an embolism that stole the use of his back legs (by the way this is a common problem when ferrets get ill, they fall off their back legs) He never regained that hard run bounce that ferrets have but he got enough control that he could walk around and get into trouble. You've done fantastic by this little one. I'm so glad that you didn't listen to the vet and put her down. ciao
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Post by sherrylynne on Jun 13, 2010 23:35:23 GMT -5
She is doing so well! I'll bet she really enjoyed her walk outside. Tons of new smells, things to see, and so on. And that exercise will do her a world of wonders. Thank you for doing this for her
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jun 14, 2010 0:12:35 GMT -5
She's doing FABULOUS!!!!! I'm so proud of Ferry and YOU for doing so such a wonderful job with her!!!! The vet will know more than I will about the Suprelorin implant and the other things that are going on, so It the vet says "not yet", he/she probably has a specific reason. The chicken feet will probably be good for her.....they will contain aloyt of tendon, bone cartilage, etc. Another thing you may want to look into is velvet antler, which used in TCM. The link below accesses the web site for the product I use on my ferrets as a "whole food" mineral supplement. I split 1 small dog treat between my 4 ferrets every other week. The web site has some info on velvet antler in general. You may be able find some velvet antler supplement locally. Many people take it in powdered form. Here's the link... www.bonusvelvetantler.com/Since I started feeding the antler, my ferrets' nails have become stronger and thicker - even my vet commented on their nails. I imagine it helps with connective tissue and bone as well. -jennifer
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Darlene
Cageless and Roamin' Free
Posts: 287
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Post by Darlene on Jun 15, 2010 0:11:11 GMT -5
Ferry is doing fantastic,you guys are doing great.
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Post by tommy on Jun 15, 2010 6:37:56 GMT -5
I know velvet antlers! I'll try to get some. Though I'm not sure if her nails becoming stronger is a good thing, my hands are so scratched! Ha ha!
We didn't go for a walk yesterday as it was raining and she seems to have caught a cold from me. I saw her sneeze.
She also hasn't tried urinating on her own again. Patience I guess...
Feeding is good. I heard her cronching on a dehydrated liver treat yesterday but it's still not tempting enough for her to sit up and beg.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jun 15, 2010 8:10:53 GMT -5
I know what you mean about those "strong claws'!!! But at least we know that the antlers are working to nourish the cartilage, bones, etc. Anyway, here is something important... I sent you a personal message (pm) - be sure to read it...I emailed a ferret expert in the UK regarding Ferry. The expert has requested your email address for direct contact. You'll probably want to send me a pm with your email address to keep your information private. Medications/treatments can vary by name and method in different countries, so having a VERY knowledgeable contact in the UK would be good for Ferry. for example, the expert mentioned that ferrets normally have looser joints, so the "pelvic gap" may be more normal than some vets may think. Also, it's also possible that Ferry may have infection rather be remaining in heat. Additional advice from an expert is always a wonderful opportunity for you and Ferry. Please send me your email address and I'll have the expert get back to you directly. Thanks! -jennifer
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Post by tommy on Jun 15, 2010 14:54:58 GMT -5
I'm going to send you my email address straight away.
This evening I took Ferry out for a second walk. She was shivering when she came out of her carrier. Either because of the wind or a cat nearby. The cat got too curious so we had to cut the walk short. Ferry kept wanting to climb on one of us. I guess she was too threatened. But she did a fair bit of nosing around in the grass.
Another thing I wanted to share, while she was having her evening meal, I noticed her chewing really hard and shaking on a piece of quail bone. I thought she might be choking but wasn't sure, then I saw blood on her blanket. I panicked and grabbed her out of the cage and tried to take the piece of bone out of her mouth, I thought she got cut. She was still chewing when I was holding her. Then I realised it's blood from the quail's bone! Ha ha! Juvenile mistake for a raw feeding amateur I guess. She must be annoyed that I wrestled the bone away from her.
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Post by Heather on Jun 15, 2010 15:44:45 GMT -5
Shaking that quail was her way of getting a piece small enough for herself. It's good work for her. It's the added stimulation that they don't get from eating ground meats. You won't be the first or last for that matter who has run to their furkids aid only to discover that they've got total control of the situation . She may have been sleeping before you took her out of the carrier, ferrets shiver to bring their body temp up to normal. There may have been something (the cat?) who may have awakened her flight of fight response too. Perhaps her injuries were cat related. It wouldn't take much for a hunting cat (feral) to injure a ferret, especially if they weren't expecting the attack. It's just a thought. ciao
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Post by tommy on Jun 16, 2010 7:09:04 GMT -5
Now I know why she's always shivering when I hold her, I have cold hands!
I didn't manage to express her very well yesterday so I took her in to the vet. While she had her temperature checked, the discomfort of the thermometer up her anus made her urine! She actually cleared out her bladder! The vet thinks it's going to get more difficult to express her as her muscles get stronger and I should also give her a chance to do it herself.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jun 16, 2010 14:17:40 GMT -5
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Post by tommy on Jun 16, 2010 15:20:20 GMT -5
I'm going to try this and the other method you suggested. I feel more comfortable with that than squeezing her as she wiggles so much and sometimes she lets out a squeak.
On another note, she hasn't eaten her dinner, and didn't finish her lunch. Sleeping. Is loss of appetite a side effect of the jill jab?
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jun 16, 2010 21:23:49 GMT -5
Any hormone-/steroid-type treatment can make you lose your appetite!!! (some people get hungry from them. Also, they can make you sleepy. Usually things revert back to normal over time,. Regarding the squeaking might just be a squeak of protest/annoyance/discomfort rather than actual pain.....one of my girls "talks" to me. If she wants something (to be picked up, to be set down, a treat, out of the room, etc.) she sits at or on my feet - or at the door, etc., and she squeaks at me. It's too cute I have my fingers crossed that the stimulation technique will work - That would be so much easier than expressing her bladder. I just had another thought....ware you giving Ferry tap water....I have gotten bladder issues from tap water. In fact, I actually had issues in the UK as well as places in the US - different areas treat their water with different amounts and types of chemicals. Perhaps bottled and/or filtered water may help reduces any possible irritation. It might be worth a try. -jennifer
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Post by tommy on Jun 17, 2010 16:15:54 GMT -5
Ferry has regained her appetite. I had to turn her food into a real mush and hand-feed her a little before she would eat it. She also had her 2nd water therapy session today, just a little dip of her feet and tail. She's calm at first but when I take her out, she goes crazy. Paddling her feet and running as soon as I put her on the ground. But she looks like she has no control of her back feet at all when she is doing it, sliding from place to place and with her back crooked to one side.
I've been giving her filtered tap water but I'll change it to bottled water and see how it goes.
I saw some urine in her cage today but not sure if it was an overflow or her urinating. It looked like she did some poo at the same time. I tried the stimulation technique but she was kicking too much so I expressed her as usual. She also urinated during her water therapy.
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Post by sherrylynne on Jun 17, 2010 19:28:33 GMT -5
It sounds like she's really responding to what you're doing! That's wonderful
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