Post by Thérèse on Dec 28, 2012 5:14:23 GMT -5
This is to update on some not good things with Sumo. First I will post a pic (which I may have posted before) which is him having fun in the yard at the end of Oct.
Unfortunatelly this may be the last such pic I will get of my boy. He gets out each day with the others but I don't take the camera out always and going back this is the last one of Sumo.
So on to the not good news. Yesterday he managed to get into the neighbours yard. They have 2 dogs (a boxer and a bull terrier). Luckily only one of them was out (the bull terrier) or he would probably be dead now. He probably was feeling brave because he had realised Jelly was sweet and was now confident in playing with her & not realising other dogs are not necessarily the same. Anyway the dog did not take kindly to a stranger in her yard and an altercation ensued. It didn't last long as both the neighbour and I heard the angry ferret and dog noises. The neighbour rushed over and lifted the dog and they broke apart, not sure who let go last. I rushed round to their yard and he was still in the corner but quickly bolted into the double fence that runs part of the back of my yard and is very hard to get them out of. Long story short, it took me about 4 hours to get him out but eventually I did. Looked and there was no blood or puncture wounds and the way he bolted in there indicated he could move ok. Took him inside and he drank and ate. Figured he was just freaked out but otherwise ok but was alert for changes.
Today when he came out when I was feeding them I noticed he wasn't using his front right leg. Something was obviously wrong. So off to the vet we went. I was hoping just a sprain but figured a break was way less worse than things could have been, so not so bad. Turns out he has broken his humerus, which in a ferret is almost the worst break. In a ferret (somewhat similar to a corgi, apparently) the bone is very small and bent, so very hard to put a pin in. Also because of the time of year (everyone on hols) there is no orthopaedic surgeon available. The earliest availability is, therefore, next Thurs (ie. the 3rd). The way the vet spoke I think he thinks the break will not be able to be pinned.
Basically my options were: a) euthanasia (not an option as far as I'm concerned for a young otherwise healthy ferret); b) try to put a pin in; and c) amputate. I asked if when they went in to try the pin would they be able to tell if the pin was likely to be successful and if not amputate while he was under. The answer was yes so that is the plan next Thurs when everyone gets back from hols.
His leg is strapped and he is on metacam til then. The strapping means he is like he has 3 legs now, so if that is what happens he will already be practised. I think the vet gives a very low likelihood that he will keep his leg (from his manner I would say something like 80% or greater that it will be amputated). There is a strong likelihood that the nerve is also damaged as he didn't get upset while being strapped but a small chance that was just Sumo being a sweetie (which he is).
Anyway so that's where we are with Sumo. And just to end, another pic, this is my poor boy all strapped up (but at least the bandages are cheery)
Unfortunatelly this may be the last such pic I will get of my boy. He gets out each day with the others but I don't take the camera out always and going back this is the last one of Sumo.
So on to the not good news. Yesterday he managed to get into the neighbours yard. They have 2 dogs (a boxer and a bull terrier). Luckily only one of them was out (the bull terrier) or he would probably be dead now. He probably was feeling brave because he had realised Jelly was sweet and was now confident in playing with her & not realising other dogs are not necessarily the same. Anyway the dog did not take kindly to a stranger in her yard and an altercation ensued. It didn't last long as both the neighbour and I heard the angry ferret and dog noises. The neighbour rushed over and lifted the dog and they broke apart, not sure who let go last. I rushed round to their yard and he was still in the corner but quickly bolted into the double fence that runs part of the back of my yard and is very hard to get them out of. Long story short, it took me about 4 hours to get him out but eventually I did. Looked and there was no blood or puncture wounds and the way he bolted in there indicated he could move ok. Took him inside and he drank and ate. Figured he was just freaked out but otherwise ok but was alert for changes.
Today when he came out when I was feeding them I noticed he wasn't using his front right leg. Something was obviously wrong. So off to the vet we went. I was hoping just a sprain but figured a break was way less worse than things could have been, so not so bad. Turns out he has broken his humerus, which in a ferret is almost the worst break. In a ferret (somewhat similar to a corgi, apparently) the bone is very small and bent, so very hard to put a pin in. Also because of the time of year (everyone on hols) there is no orthopaedic surgeon available. The earliest availability is, therefore, next Thurs (ie. the 3rd). The way the vet spoke I think he thinks the break will not be able to be pinned.
Basically my options were: a) euthanasia (not an option as far as I'm concerned for a young otherwise healthy ferret); b) try to put a pin in; and c) amputate. I asked if when they went in to try the pin would they be able to tell if the pin was likely to be successful and if not amputate while he was under. The answer was yes so that is the plan next Thurs when everyone gets back from hols.
His leg is strapped and he is on metacam til then. The strapping means he is like he has 3 legs now, so if that is what happens he will already be practised. I think the vet gives a very low likelihood that he will keep his leg (from his manner I would say something like 80% or greater that it will be amputated). There is a strong likelihood that the nerve is also damaged as he didn't get upset while being strapped but a small chance that was just Sumo being a sweetie (which he is).
Anyway so that's where we are with Sumo. And just to end, another pic, this is my poor boy all strapped up (but at least the bandages are cheery)
I can tell you though from working at a vet clinic and seeing it first hand that animals, especially ones as young as he is, respond very well to amputations. Unlike humans they have 3 spares instead of one, and they aren't emotionally attached to their limbs like we are. 
To be honest, an amputation would be the most humane thing to do in my opinion And in my experience at the vet clinic. Put him through an intensive surgery with a long period of recovery and immobilization and pain and pins and then having to relearn how to use his healing and atrophied (from disuse) leg, all wih no understanding of why he has to stay still, why he hurts... or one relatively simple surgery with a fairly quick recovery, and he'll be up and about in weeks. Before you know it it's like he was born with 3 legs. A year ago I would have been with what most people feel - save the leg at all costs! However, working at a vet clinic changed my perspective entirely from both hearing of and seeing first hand both types of procedures and recoveries. I fully support whatever decision you and your veg make, but I wanted to hopefully give you another way to look at things. 
