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Post by unclejoe on May 27, 2015 18:58:44 GMT -5
i guess now would be the time to try nappies. Getting them to stay on will be the challenge. It's obvious he's incontinent, and probably will be for life. That's caused by nerve/spinal cord damage, as you may have been told by your vet. It could be an incomplete injury, as he still has some use of his rear legs.
Every surgery involves some risk. You have to weigh that against the chance of a positive outcome.
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Post by acodlin on May 27, 2015 22:46:17 GMT -5
Im so sorry about Mako. Xrays haven't revealed anything that could be pushing on his spine? MRI will most likely give you the best chance an answer, but an answer doesn't mean you will have a cure. Surgery always carries a risk, but I wouldn't even think about that until you have a definite cause, one bridge at a time! I haven't found a clothing item personally that a ferret will keep on willingly, so good luck with the diapers. Best thing you can do is express his bladder before play time and understand that he may be dropping poo while he plays I will be sending healing thoughts his way and for Korra and her lump too. I hope everything turns out okay, if nothing else, I hope that Mako continues to enjoy his life
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Post by RedSky on May 28, 2015 5:34:47 GMT -5
I think expressing his bladder before play times is probably the best way to go. If that doesn't make a difference I can try the nappy. I took him with me this morning when I dropped Korra off (well I took all three, Bolin didn't want to be left behind...). I spoke with the vet and we don't yet have a quote. Turns out they want his history before offering a quote, so she's sent that over and now it's just waiting. My OH will have to book a day off work as I can't drive far due to my own back problems, getting to the vets and back twice in one day is torture. I told the vet about the guy who makes wheelchairs and that he doesn't know of any successful surgeries on spine issues in ferrets and she's going to try get in contact with the vet who's had success on rabbits to see what he thinks or if he knows of anyone who would be confident about doing it or who would advise against trying.
Someone on facebook has commented saying an MRI might be a good idea just to rule out any tumors that might be having an effect. I'm not sure if they would have shown up on an x-ray or not. Sort of like you have said Amanda, an MRI might show a cause but it might not be something we can do anything about. But knowing might give us a better idea on how to go about handling it.
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Post by RedSky on Jun 3, 2015 14:32:34 GMT -5
Another update on the situation with Mako. Our vet finally heard back from the vet clinic she wanted to refer us to for the MRI, they have estimated costs of £2100. His insurance caps out at £2000 per year, and will only pay 50% of the MRI costs. Our vet was really surprised at the cost as one of the vets there seemed really interested in Mako's case and eager to see him, and she's referred dogs there previously and they have cost less than £1500. Unfortunately this is beyond our limits, I found out today I am most likely about to lose my job, I'm likely to have another 4 to 5 weeks of pay but then thats it. Our vet is going to look into some other highly recommended vets she knows of, including Kevin Eatwell??? I've had a google and he seems more reptile and birds but is classed as 'exotics'. He's mentioned treating meerkats and skunks in a video on youtube so hoping something might come of it.
As for Mako himself, he was dragging his hind end to one side or the other. My mum actually pointed out how odd it was and that he must be holding his legs there. Think he thought he'd show her otherwise and how he's stopped doing it most of the time. I'm not sure where its the cause of this next problem or a coincidence (I think cause) but his poor little boy part is so sore, it's actually been bleeding. I've checked and his urine doesn't appear to have blood in and there is blood present when patting his 'winkie' with a tissue. I've put some sudocrem on it and while he's out he wears a sock so he's not rubbing it more on the carpet. He's taken quite well to the sock but still hates his harness and without the harness he can get most of the socks off (they get changed regularly as he's dribbling urine a lot). His bladder seems a little swollen and he's rarely doing a proper wee (just dribbling) when I'm trying to squeeze him out.
So any suggestions to help with any of this? Could I be expressing his bladder wrong? Any tips for a sore penis? Any suggestions on how to get him used to his harness more? Normally he only wears it for outside and he's not been out in quite a while, but outside is so distracting that he soon forgets he's wearing it.
We're back at the vets again tomorrow at 3.10pm. Hopefully some more news then, and hopefully the results for the lump they sent off from Korra.
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Post by bitbyter on Jun 3, 2015 15:08:49 GMT -5
@wildferret makes wheel chariots for Fuzzies with back issues.
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Post by acodlin on Jun 3, 2015 22:02:54 GMT -5
I've never had to express a ferrets bladder but I'd be worried that might be the cause of the bleeding. I'm sorry that the MRI is so expensive ;( and about your job loss.. it's a lot of bad news at once! Poor little Mako I wish we had answers for you. Your doing the best that you can, keep him clean and try to keep his wounds protected.
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Post by RedSky on Jun 4, 2015 2:37:38 GMT -5
Thanks bitbyter, it's probably the same person I've asked already. I think he's still putting it together and then it will be on it's way. Hoping that will stop the dragging along on his bits! Can't be nice for him although he doesn't seem bothered so I'm wondering how much feeling he has their. acodlin, thanks Amanda. I'm upset about the job, can't tell you how much I love working there. It's the perfect job for me and the staff and kids are brilliant and I love them all. I've been off for so long with my own back issues so been unable to work. Eventually they have to let me go so they can hire someone else. I'm more concerned about Mako, as his issues seem to be getting worse. I was concerned the bleeding was coming from inside, but his urine (when he does part with it) is yellow with no sign of blood. While his poor little winkie looks really sore and red and when dabbed with tissue the tissue has a spot of blood on it. I think it's a really bad friction burn from constantly dragging it around on fleece and carpet, or maybe over cleaning (Bolin has started giving him a good clean). After he had some sudocrem and the sock on for a while the redness settled back down and he wet the sock. In one play session he went through 4 socks as he started passing urine on his own but just bits at a time. I didn't want the urine burning his skin or his sore penis so I wiped him over with some warm damp cotton wool and put on more sudocrem. If he's passing some on his own then I'm happy, since it means I don't have to risk irritating his bladder trying to express it myself. Could his penis become so sore and inflamed that it's causing a blockage? His bladder yesterday afternoon was MASSIVE! I've never felt it that big, his penis was so angry looking and I could only express droplets with a lot of persuading and time. After the sudocrem and sock he was almost constantly leaking and some was coming out in tiny streams rather than droplets. I'm going to sew in some washable pad inserts into the socks in hopes of them absorbing the urine. Save my carpets and pull it away from his skin. I'll order a few inserts and then he can have loads of socks.
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Post by RedSky on Jun 4, 2015 11:13:57 GMT -5
Another day, another vet trip, another problem... Okay so Mako isn't really the issue today, but he was the one he needed a vet trip. More my fault, I'm not expressing his bladder firmly enough. I'm too worried about squeezing it like a water balloon and it going pop! The vet said while that can happen, not likely especially with putting the pressure on in the right place... And I'm guessing it's less likely to happen while his bladder is smaller, than so MASSIVE again... Best stop flapping and get on with it... Only advice for his tender man parts was to cover it with a plaster or similar, but we all know he would just eat it... So I'll carry on with the sock and harness while he's out of the cage. Hopefully if I express his bladder properly he won't be leaking as much and won't need changing every 10 minutes. Our lovely vet has spoken to yet another vet, who as advised we don't go to the really expensive place for an MRI anyway, as they had used them previously for a bearded dragon (lovely animals!) and as they weren't too knowledgeable they misread the MRI and came back with a load of nonsense. So won't be spending over £2000 for nonsense... Anyway this latest vet is going to look at Mako's case and see what they think. Got to give it to my vet, she's amazing and isn't giving in on us.
Korra's results are back from her lump, it's a mass cell tumor so needs to be removed fully before it spreads. She's booked back in for Monday as our vet isn't in tomorrow and they don't do weekend operations. It's not a case of ASAP, more the sooner the better.
Bolin isn't as itchy but we have some more flea stuff just incase that was the cause. I asked for Advantage this time, we used zeno (sp?) but had to give Korra 3 separate tubes which wasn't fun as Korra is a bit of a wriggler and loves any chance to get at skin with her teeth!
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Post by acodlin on Jun 4, 2015 13:54:22 GMT -5
MCT are not dangerous for ferrets like they are dogs. They don't spread generally, they just look angry and red. Typically they swell up in size and then they go away after a week or two, then they come back. I've had one removed that was on a tail and that same ferret had one her side that she had removed too because it was raised up and constantly bleeding. Im glad that the vet has reassured you. I really have never had to express a bladder so I can't comment I hope you can get a wheelchair for him from Euel, that might help with all the soreness the poor guy has going on.
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Post by RedSky on Jun 5, 2015 9:06:54 GMT -5
Glad to hear Korra isn't it risk like a dog would be. The vet did say they are common in ferrets and don't behave the way they do in other animals, but they can still spread and it's best to get it all out.
I messaged Euel yesterday and he said the chairs coming along nicely so hopefully it will be here soon. The sock and sudocreme seem to be helping, and he doesn't seem to be bothered about it. No tensing or flinching when I clean him up or put cream on it, so the vet and I are wondering just how much he can feel. He can't seem to feel much with his feet or legs, or at least doesn't react when they are squeezed or put in water, but he can defiantly feel his tail and he still has movement in his tail, He's fallen out with me a bit as I'm the one who expresses his bladder, cleans him up and worst of all gives him his antibiotics. That said he's taking them better than Bolin did, Bolin would claw at his mouth afterwards and make himself bleed. I'm dreading ever having to give them to Korra. I think I'd lose a finger or two!
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