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Post by Celene on May 18, 2015 14:41:03 GMT -5
I'll ask the other mentors, some of them breed ferrets or have 20+ of them so have lots of experience with deaf ferrets and medical issues.
Is Argis a waardie?
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Post by Celene on May 18, 2015 19:23:07 GMT -5
So basically after some more research and asking around it seems like there may be a few potential explanations for Argis' hearing regain. 1. Ear mites: If ferrets have a bad enough case of ear mites it can clog/block their ears entirely and cause hearing loss. After ear mites are treated and the ears clean out they regain hearing. Of course I'm sure if you had treated Argis for ear mites you would have figured this one out on your own 2. Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Basically the hairs in the ear/ear drum get damaged somehow, and some people/animals regain their hearing once the hairs on the ear grow back. Apparently one of the things that can cause this is inappropriate medication/drops being applied in the ear which basically destroys these tiny hairs. 3. Traumatic ear damage: This is usually caused by a loud noise such as fireworks or alarms - the loud noise causes the ear drums to burst. Apparently animals usually recover from this type over time. No matter what it is, I'm glad that he can hear again!
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2015 21:50:22 GMT -5
Nope, not a Wardie. When I was using the squeaker in the house looking for Leon (hoping he was inside) Argis started attacking the dog think he was squeaking, lol. I do this all the time. I am happy he can hear as well (also no sign of ear mites whatsoever). Like I said, his ears were flat against his head and didn't even twitch before. Now they're perky and very twitchy! It's strange!
Not sure when I should weigh Leon as he still is skinny from his little excursion. Is it okay to wait until next week or so you want me to weigh him more? He's doing well arty this point (and Claire is happy her brother is back. She's hardly left his side!).
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Post by Celene on May 18, 2015 22:00:35 GMT -5
Nah, you can wait until he's all plumped up again. Of course if you want to weigh just for your own info that's fine too
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Post by Celene on May 19, 2015 9:00:15 GMT -5
One more question about Leon: Does he respond to all sounds now, or just that squeaky?
Someone else told me a story about a ferret they had who was deaf, but could apparently hear a particular squeaky toy (probably because of the exact frequency). Eventually it got attacked/damaged, and she said despite trying many times, she could never find another squeaky toy that the ferret could hear.
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2015 9:53:03 GMT -5
I haven't actually tried a different sound/squeaker. I'll check the dig toys and see if he responds top that or other noises. I'll try that here and see what's going on with that.
Also, to fatten him back up, do I just give him egg? He's acting fine (although a little itchy). In glad he's alright <3 he's back to exploring again today!
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Post by Celene on May 19, 2015 10:58:18 GMT -5
He'll probably fatten up on his own. If he went awhile without eating (or eating much) I wouldn't recommend trying to feed him too much at once or his belly might explode (not literally, but you know what I mean). Soupies with egg mixed in fed every 3-4 hours is probably your best friend
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2015 7:41:40 GMT -5
Menu for last week Menu for week before I have everything packaged up and ready to go for us to leave this after noon. I will be going through a run over with him here in about an hour or so. I will post everyone's weights (as I wanted to show him how to do that as well in cause he gets the urge to weigh them). I am bringing Argis and Belrand with me in a small kennel/cage (not sure 100% at this point, but they will be getting a good deal of free roam when we are sleeping etc.). I have a cooler that is coming with as well for our food and theirs. The bottom cage is getting access to the whole 3 levels of the ferret nation while I am gone and will more than likely not be getting any free roam for the 4-5 days or so that we are gone. After Leon got out, Ben (my friend) doesn't feel completely comfortable letting them out and around while we're not home. I figure having that extra leg room should be MORE than plenty. They got a very long extended free roam, and will likely be getting more when we get back from laundry before their soupie breakfast. I am very nervous leaving them alone for this long, but I am sure that Ben will be more than capable to taking care of them. Just a worried mother hen, lol. Leon looks a lot better, btw, and is just kinda dirty. I am glad that he is back and safe. I have been messing with Argis' hearing, and it seems that his hearing is 100% returned. I don't know what's going on, but I am okay with it. His ear canal is a little closed up still, so we are guessing that it was a trauma. I am glad he's better! He's acting so funny, every noise seems so new and kinda scary, lol!
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Post by Celene on May 22, 2015 8:40:06 GMT -5
Your menu looks great - have fun on your trip! When you get back please post a picture of the size chunks you are feeding and it may be time for a test How could you tell the ear canal is closed.. Just from visual or did you have a vet check it? Either way I'm glad he can hear again.
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2015 9:07:04 GMT -5
It was a very long trip, but totally worth it. Goodness, two ferrets on a road trip are a handful, lol. They behaved fine enough, but Belrand DID NOT APPROVE! He ended up rolling in his litter box EVERY DAY of the car ride. He will be getting a true bath this morning, but got water baths every day this week, little trouble maker (if he didn't still smell like pee I wouldn't even consider giving him a bath but ... you know ). The chunks that they are getting (I will get a picture at some point) are only a problem when they have bone in it. They do perfectly fine when the chunks don't have bone, but the moment that bone shows up, they give up. Just a visual check. His ears are looking more 'open' every day. Makes his mommy happy. And what kind of test? O.o I will be getting weights up here this morning as well. I have it written down at home, which does me no good at the laundry mat. Also managed to make it to the asain market and grabbed rabbit (it is the body, no head or limbs which should be fine and another bone it source! YAY!), frog legs, beef kidney and some chichen hearts. THat place is like heaven for weird stuff! Food Menu for last week <3
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Post by Celene on May 30, 2015 10:25:49 GMT -5
Welcome back! Your menu looks great.
Do they still eat the bone, or do you just mean they need smaller chunks?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2015 22:10:41 GMT -5
They need smaller chunks when they have bones in them. Just the big cage. The bits will eat anything. Frog legs aren't a hit, btw, lol Sorry I've been mia. I've been dealing with a very sick puppy. She's fad the runs since I got home, and every time I think she's over it ... it happens again. I feel awful fur nit updating you! Everyone's weights still look fine, but I've seem to have misplaced my book. I'm just a mess
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Post by Celene on Jun 1, 2015 22:23:17 GMT -5
Oh no! Get your puppy feeling better ><
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2015 12:20:32 GMT -5
I am so sorry I've been mia this last week!I feel awful I haven't been able to keep you up to date, it's been a really wild week!
I ended up taking the dogs (my 8 year old got one of my corgis sick too!) To the vet. They ended up having some stomach bug and got meds and were all better (didn't get it to my boy corgi, thank goodness!). Then directly after this, the cats were playing with a bee and my baby (my young one) got stung. So of course I was on 24 hour watch to make sure he didn't have a reaction! Omg, and then the same kitten ends up twisting his leg on the cage/ball pit. There goes my free time there! He's fine, but has demanded extra attention!
So, my schedule for food got a little jumbled this week, but they got everything they had last week with a feeding of rabbit in there somewhere. They aren't fond of the beef kidney and the boys have started picking around and not eating soupie again because of it. You're probably right about the beef being too much of a flavor for them.
They hated frog legs, btw. Just threw them all over the cage, lol. I haven't had a chance to weigh everyone (bad mommy!). Hopefully everything calls down and I can get back to normal chaos instead of this, lol.
I think that's all I've got ... again, super sorry!
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Post by Celene on Jun 7, 2015 18:07:39 GMT -5
Oh no! What's that expression about how when it rains it pours? I hope all your fuzzums stay healthy for a long time after this! When you get a chance, if you could post a picture of what size chunks your ferrets are eating now that would be great
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