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Post by RedSky on Mar 11, 2015 11:42:11 GMT -5
I believe my vet is knowledgeable enough about the anaesthetic as she does a lot of neutering for the RSPCA and deals with their ill ferrets and has done splenectomies (spelling?) before. Bolin has already had a bit of gas so they could shave his stomach and do an ultrasound, he was kept on a heat pad until his body started maintaining his temperature then one of the vet nurses carried him around until he woke up and had something to eat. He really is a snuggly ferret and loves people and this specific vet nurse has fallen for him, which it's hard not to.
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Post by raynebc on Mar 11, 2015 12:47:30 GMT -5
Just about all that I know is that the vet did a blood test on my first ferret to make sure the anesthesia would be safe. I don't know enough about veterinary medicine to say if this is done with most animals or just certain species.
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Post by RedSky on Mar 11, 2015 16:41:31 GMT -5
He's been in his bed again all day, not even come to the bottom half of the ferret nation to come out to play. I brought him downstairs, thought a bit of time somewhere he normally doesn't go would help to perk him up. He went to the toilet in the corner and I noticed he sort of trailed it off where he walked. I'm not sure if he's just not finishing before leaving, if it's just wet from his fur or if he's dripping urine. I can't see drips anywhere else, it was just that he was on the laminate in the kitchen that made these tiny drops noticeable. I would never spot them on our dark carpet. His urine is very yellow, I am worried he is dehydrated but not sure how to get more water into him with him not wanting to eat much.
Is this normal? He was neutered last year. Is this part of his spleen problem or could it be something else?
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Post by Blue on Mar 11, 2015 16:49:39 GMT -5
Try mixing a bit of salmon oil (if he likes it?) into the water. They usually lap up the water with the oil. My best success was taking the 30 ml bottle I use for salmon oil treats, putting tepid water in there (Maisie's favorite kind, Bolin might have another preference) with some salmon oil, and shaking it up. I managed to get 15 ml down her and I think it really helped.
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Post by RedSky on Mar 11, 2015 17:26:30 GMT -5
That's a great idea, that's how I'm managing to get him to eat his soup when he's really not interested. I'll give it a try.
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Post by Celene on Mar 11, 2015 18:48:21 GMT -5
Another option is to get a small plastic syringe. You can use it to feed him water, soup, or a thin soup/something in between. I think you can get them cheap at drugstores, but my vet gave me one when my first baby Truffles was really sick and not eating. I'd basically squirt it right into her mouth (slowly) so all she really had to do was swallow.
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Post by raynebc on Mar 11, 2015 19:36:12 GMT -5
Be very careful with the syringe. If at all possible, squirt it in from the side of the mouth to avoid forcing any food/liquid into their lungs by accident.
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Post by Heather on Mar 11, 2015 20:47:38 GMT -5
Always use the syringe on the side of the mouth. There is a sweet spot in the corner that allows you to almost always get liquids in. So unless the ferret doesn't swallow, liquids will get into the ferret ciao
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Post by Celene on Mar 11, 2015 21:57:41 GMT -5
Good point raynebc and Heather. I would also practice with the syringe and thickness of soup before trying because if it's too thick you might push it and it doesn't move, and then you push harder and it spurts all at once. If you can find a syringe with a large "nozzle" (can you tell I'm not a doctor?) it's easier to let it slowly ooze out.
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Post by RedSky on Mar 12, 2015 6:09:47 GMT -5
So he's at the vets, just waiting for them to call but it's going to be hours away yet.
I've tried with the syringe before and it wasn't very successful, he was happy at first but after about 2ml he started wriggling and made is difficult to do. To be honest though I was stood up with him, probably be easier to have him on a surface or my lap and hold him properly. He drank quite a bit with the salmon oil last night and early this morning. He had a bit of food for breakfast but also had some during the night.
I'll update when the vet calls.
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Post by Blue on Mar 12, 2015 7:43:43 GMT -5
That's great that he drank some! I'm thinking of Bolin & you. Keep us updated.
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Post by RedSky on Mar 12, 2015 10:39:25 GMT -5
I did a bit of cleaning before I let the other two out and nipped to pick up some meat for them. Thought they could have a run around while I portioned it before I froze it. Went to let them out as normal, keeping in mind the other two were fine this morning so I just put them ramp up to the cage and walked away. Mako came out and as I turned to say hello to him I noticed he was dragging his back end. Nearly had a panic attack. Called the vets to say I was on my way and then realised I didn't have another carrier, it was at the vets with Bolin. Que second panic attack. Found the storage tub/bin thing that used to house a dwarf hamster, figured with his weak back end he couldn't just out so chucked him in the car in it and drove to the pet shop. Rushed in, grabbed the first cat carrier, more or less chucked the money at the poor lady and ran back out. Remind me to apologise next time I'm in. I was shaking like mad. Drove the 30 mins to the vets (trying to stick to the speed limit honest) while Mako is happily fast asleep in the new carrier. Got to the vets and he's bloody walking! Not fine but walking none the less. The vet felt his spine and he's a little tender over his hips. We think it's most likely he's fallen off something (hammock/ladder/shelf) in their cage. He's had an injection of cat metacam and has to have some more in 24 hours. She wants to see him again on Saturday and will do a blood glucose reading them, she didn't want to do it today as she thinks the stress of pain and trauma will have effected his levels. I have no idea so just agreed.
Turned out Bolin was awake enough to come home. His spleen was MASSIVE! She drew a quick diagram of what they are supposed to be like and then drew what Bolin's was like. She said it was the same size as her hand and a little thicker. He looks so skinny and his skin is really baggy and weird! Poor baby. Just got him home and settled and he's eaten 2 table spoons of soupy! The most he's eaten in nearly a week. And he's looking for more. I don't want to over feed him so soon, so will give him a table spoon full every hour. No need for salmon oil anymore. I can't say how happy I am to have both of them back home and know their doing better. He's also had the same painkiller as Mako and is to have some again tomorrow.
Now my main problem is Mako needs to be kept away from Korra and any shelves or thing he could fall from so he's in the bottom of the ferret nation with everything on the floor, nothing to climb. Korra is in the top with the normal stuff that's in there. Where to put Bolin? He has to be kept separate with nothing that might tug at his stitches. I'm thinking about kicking my other dwarf hamster out of her cage and putting her in the previously mentioned storage bin and letting Bolin borrow it, but she's not 100% herself and I'm not sure if the stress is going to be too much for her... I daren't leave them to go get something and with all the driving I've already done I don't think I could drive to the nearest large pet shop. Any ideas how I can persuade my OH to go? Hahaha
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Post by Heather on Mar 12, 2015 10:46:23 GMT -5
Sounds like that spleen really needed to go. Have you got a playpen? That's what I use for my recovering little ones. It's also great for travel and the kits used it too when they were too small to roam the upper house but needed to learn about the regular noises in the house. I set it up in the sitting room where I can keep an eye on them 24/7. Chances are he will only need a very small space in the first 24 hrs or so. ciao
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Post by RedSky on Mar 12, 2015 10:52:11 GMT -5
No, I didn't bother getting one as we just let them loose upstairs and put a board across the top of the stairs. And all the ones I looked at either had gaps too big or horizontal bars too close, either way Korra would get straight out. I think Bolin would be fine in with horizontal bars though, he's never been much of a climber, although that might change now. I'm going to ask really nicely (and then if need be demand) that my OH nips to Pets at Home on his way home. I just hope they are still open by then.
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Post by Celene on Mar 12, 2015 11:25:19 GMT -5
So relieved to hear that everything went alright and Bolin is eating!
Poor Mako though - why does everything always have to happen at once? I guess it's lucky though that you were on your way to the vet anyway and had an appointment to pick up Bolin so they could fit Mako in too at the same time.
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