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Post by RedSky on Mar 12, 2015 11:43:05 GMT -5
Actually I didn't have an appointment, I just rang and left a message as they were still operating. One of the vet nurses called me straight back and said to come straight in. Bolin was only just coming around but was maintaining his own temperature so the vet said I could take him home since I was there. Poor little thing hadn't eaten yet as he was still too sleepy. I've to keep a really close eye on him and make sure he stays warm, has enough fluids and food but not too much. He's eaten another spoonful and gone back to sleep. The vets we use are brilliant, and really care. All the vets and nurses know my name and the ferrets and most know my OH's name too, it's a husband and wife vet team and has a really nice feel to it. It's near where we used to live but we drive back past loads of other vets to go there. I'd recommend it to anyone.
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Post by Blue on Mar 12, 2015 13:38:29 GMT -5
I'm so glad Bolin came through the surgery OK! Wow, his ex-spleen sounds massive. I wonder what on earth makes them do that? And Mako, OMG! At the worst possible time... I'm glad it's nothing too serious, poor thing. Maybe he was getting jealous of all the attention Bolin was getting It sounds like you've found great vets and nurses. I know once Maisie came through surgery, I was totally imprinted on my vet and wouldn't dare go anywhere else now! Which is a bit annoying, because he's an hour away, but I know many people here have it worse. As for separating your fuzzbutts, could you put one in the bathroom for a while?
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Post by Celene on Mar 12, 2015 15:06:18 GMT -5
I was thinking you could also put Korra on the bottom with Mako since he doesn't need to be isolated, just not able to fall. I'm not sure what the top of your cage looks like, but maybe you could just empty out anything hazardous? If you're worried about Bolin climbing levels in his condition you can always just remove the half shelf for now and have food, litter, water and bedding all on one level. A cozy blanket/sleep sack might be better than a hammock anyway since it doesn't require climbing. I'm sure you'll figure something out
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Post by RedSky on Mar 12, 2015 15:44:20 GMT -5
Korra and Mako can't be unsupervised together as she beats him up, they come out for playtime together everyday but I put sudocreme on Mako so Korra leaves him alone. She is getting better but with his already in pain I wouldn't want to risk it. It's okay though my wonderful OH went to Pets at Home after work, according to Google it should have taken him 6 minutes to get there (not accounting for traffic), just over an hour later he found it. It wasn't where the postcode takes you and the area is confusing if you don't know it which neither of us really do. But the playpen is here. Bolin is still fast asleep in the cat carrier, I'm leaving him in there for now. When we go to bed I'll just pop the carrier into the playpen that my amazing Oh has set up in our bedroom. He came straight home and went to see Mako, he was really worried. Mako is his favourite, while Bolin is mine. We're still working with Korra (aka The She Demon) as she just bites, she's getting better though.
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Post by acodlin on Mar 12, 2015 16:41:15 GMT -5
Oh I am so glad to hear Bolin made it through okay. Keep him quiet for a week or so, they heal SO fast and think that they are ready to get into all sorts of ferrety trouble before they are close to being ready. You may start to see bruising over the next day or two, and it'll reabsorb almost as quickly. I never seem to have any issues with licking or chewing on stitches, but keep a close eye on him just in case!
So I take it that she didn't find anything else out of sorts while she was removing his spleen? Did she send it off for testing?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2015 16:51:32 GMT -5
Yes so very glad to hear all went well for ur little one. How did everything else look inside the little fellow?
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Post by RedSky on Mar 12, 2015 17:50:15 GMT -5
Everything else looked fine, and the spleen has been sent off. She had to use two containers as it was so big! He's licking the spoon clean every time I offer him food. I've given him two tablespoons each time now and feeding every two hours so I can get some sleep and since he seems happy enough. He has covered himself while going to the toilet though, but that might have just been because I've kept him in the cat carrier. He's in the play pen now, nice and clean. I've put in two beds, one with a heat pad and one without. It's a pet friendly microwave pad that doesn't get too hot so he should be fine.
Thank you all for your help and advice.
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Post by RedSky on Mar 13, 2015 7:57:11 GMT -5
I went to bed after his 12 o'clock feed and woke up every 2 hours to offer him some more. At 5am this morning I put the bowl in with about 3 tablespoons of food and went back to sleep. He's eaten nearly all of it when I woke up at 8. His stools smelt really badly last night but aren't as bad this morning, he's going back to the vets tomorrow at 10.30am (so less than 24 hours away). His abdomen under where they cut him open looks very red and swollen, like blood just below the surface of the skin, but I was expecting bruising so I'm not too concerned. The incision looks nice and clean and he's been going to the toilet regularly and I'm checking to make sure he's clean afterwards as the swollen bit drags a little on the floor. Just a quick wipe with a damp warm cloth then a wipe with a dry one and I let him go back to bed. He does look to be in pain with it this morning, his eyes are really squinted and he's moving stiffly. My poor baby. I brought Mako in and he cheered up a little bit then went back to sleep so I quietly took Mako back out. I made sure I was hovering over Mako so he didn't walk over him and I didn't let Mako in bed with him just to be safe. Poor Mako was confused, he loves sleeping with Bolin. I'm keep Korra away as she is so fast and rough with the boys.
Mako is back to his usual self, he's always walked a little uncoordinated with his back end, I didn't really think much of it until yesterday. I ordered a blood glucose meter to the local chemist/pharmacy and it should arrive at some point today so I can walk down to pick it up. I can also nip to the pet shop and get some more natures menu blocks to make into soupie for Bolin while he's recouping. His favourite seems to be chicken and rabbit, but he's not keen on just chicken.
Sorry for the essay.
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Post by acodlin on Mar 13, 2015 8:35:28 GMT -5
Did they give you pain medication for him? My vet usually gives me metacam and its a once every 24 hour pain med. Its honey flavored and its such a small amount that they usually take it just fine.
Having the meter to check Mako can't hurt. Its always better to be prepared. I recommend taking the meter with you to the vets and having them check his BG and then you check with your meter to compare. With a human meter especially, I'd want to know how far off it is from the vets meter.
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Post by RedSky on Mar 16, 2015 11:16:20 GMT -5
Yeah, the vet gave me metacam for Mako and Bolin, they have it every morning with breakfast and both take it fine with a bit of mushy food. I'm struggling to get some blood out of Mako, the vet thinks it more likely to be a spinal/hip problem so has mentioned doing an x-ray if it doesn't improve. When he went for his check over she didn't really see him walk much but after watching him on Saturday she said his gait was still a little off, but my OH and I both agreed that is how he normally walks anyway. He's been pretty fine since until this morning, he was really really giddy and bouncy and when my OH went downstairs he wasn't happy about it at all so I let him follow. Since he's been fine I didn't even think about it. He got into the kitchen and started dancing again but then started dragging his back end again. He was still war dancing, charging around and mouthing us just like before so I don't think he was in any pain or distress. He had recently eaten, not dazed or anything.
The vet has just called to say Bolin results are back and no sign of any cancer. It was just engorged with red blood cells and had grown and grown. They did write on the report that often this is set off by an underlying illness so if he doesn't perk up in the next 2 weeks then she would like to run some blood tests. For the time being to keep him calm and happy. He is still pretty sleepy, eating lots of mushy food but not getting far with anything he has to chew. He fell asleep in front of his food bowl last night after chewing some pork chops and heart, so he didn't eat as much as he should. I'm going to keep giving him bits of both so his teeth should stay cleanish while he is still getting the calories/fat to put weight back on.
Thanks for the help.
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Post by RedSky on Mar 20, 2015 6:46:59 GMT -5
I hope this gets seen. I didn't want to start a new thread since I'm not sure if it's a follow on or not. We woke up to the sound of Bolin being sick this morning, he's still sleeping in our bedroom in the play pen. It was 30 minutes until the vets opened so we got ready and called them the minute they opened. We pretty much left as soon as we were ready and the other two had been fed. While in the car Bolin was very very loose stools, it was just brown liquid really. Luckily I was sort of expecting it so managed to set him down on the puppy pad in the footwell so he wasn't stressed out about going on something he didn't want to. He's a bit funny like that. We got to the vets and waited for the vet to finish with the morning checks. He was sick again 3 times, the 3rd time he vomited up what looked very much like blood. Before that he was only bringing up what I assumed was food at home and bile after he had run out of food. He's spending the day there to be watched and they're starting him on antibiotics. They said they would call if anything changed. I was worried, don't get me wrong, but when he vomited blood I was shaking and terrified it's something serious.
He's not had bone for a week, just bonemeal in his soupy so I'm assuming it can't be a bit of sharp bone that has done some damage. He ate well last night, the other two also had soupy last night as a treat and it's the same batch he's been eating for the past few days.
The vet thinks it's possible the metacam has irritated his stomach so I'm glad I didn't give him any this morning. I was tempted to since he seemed to be in pain. Everytime he was sick he would claw at his mouth afterwards, I even checked all his teeth to see if a stringy bit of meat was stuck and causing like a gag reflex or something. He was sort of grinding his teeth too. He's not a happy chap at all.
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Post by Blue on Mar 20, 2015 7:41:46 GMT -5
Poor baby Let's hope it's just the medications messing with his body. It sounds very likely. Sending healing thoughts, and keep us updated!
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Post by Celene on Mar 20, 2015 8:48:50 GMT -5
Poor Bolin. Let us know how it goes <3
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Post by msav on Mar 20, 2015 9:39:50 GMT -5
Sometimes the medicines are a necessary evil.
I hardly ever administer pain meds as directed. I try and determine the need of the ferret. If they look like they are in pain. It is hard to tell. but when Hammie had his surgery. he never even had a single dose. there was no swelling and he was moving and playing like normal, so much so that I had to try and keep him less active.
I did however give him his antibiotics, I did not want to mess around with infection.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2015 11:12:49 GMT -5
I am so sorry----- hope the little man is doing better. While bone meal has been mentioned, I would like to say: Everybody do not overdo bone meal powder--because it can become like concrete last paragraph www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/bone-meal/stick to amount that is given on forum even though this is bone meal in garden supply---bone meal is bone meal
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