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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2015 3:37:36 GMT -5
Those little wheels work good
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Post by RedSky on Aug 13, 2015 3:46:10 GMT -5
He's still not 100% confident on them but compared to him trying to flip them on their side and trying to escape he's doing so much better.
I'm thinking about putting a little swivel wheel on the front to help support him he's still very bouncy on it, one of those that spins all the way around... I'll have a think. My OH thinks that now we have the chair and know what sort of design works we could make something that's more Mako specific. This is great but he pulls himself too far forwards in it, we might make something with a harness attached to hold him in a better place, and some padding so his legs don't drag on the floor but also hang in a more natural position. Also thinking of a bumper bar at the front so if he goes somewhere the wheels would catch that he can't get half way then get stuck if that makes sense and something that it a bit more bendy, sort of like a caterpillar cart with hinges so he can have a more natural turn.
Hopefully taking him to see a lovely lady at a localish rescue to see if she has any ideas, also so the trio can meet her, I can see the set up and hopefully we will have somewhere for the ferrets to holiday if we need to go away again. My OH would really like a holiday somewhere sunny and I don't think I could get Mako a passport and have him declared fit to travel.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2015 8:01:13 GMT -5
I could not see the videos but it is probably a problem at my end. I will work on it. You are such a good mommy to him. Come holiday in Las Vegas, NV where I live. You could stay with me and see my little man, Teddy.
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Post by kraesmom on Aug 13, 2015 10:11:11 GMT -5
I loved seeing him in his flyer. Even on wheels, he just had to check out the inside of a bag. He doesn't even seem to notice that he's differently-abled. You are doing great with him and he's obviously loving life.
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Post by RedSky on Aug 13, 2015 13:56:18 GMT -5
Thank you for all the lovely comments. Mako is wonderful and seems pretty unaware that he can't do things. I will admit I get upset when he can't do stuff like when he tried to go up the stairs, or when he climbs into his carrier to sleep and his bum stays hanging out (although that's become so frequent that it's almost funny and so cute). But he doesn't seem to care, and no point being upset and emotional as he takes any chance of me being soft to run off and destroy something or begs for unhealthy food (what sort of ferret wants a bite of apple anyway???).
I nearly had a heart attack this morning, his penis area has been really swollen again. We thought it was just where his urine had been collecting before and it was just a fluid build up that would hopefully disapate on it's own. Turns out we were wrong. It was puss. It was super swollen this morning and got to the point that it looked like a giant wonky spot, although instead of a yellow head it had a yellow horseshoe shape around where he used to pee from. I figured it probably just needed popping and a wash but that he would also need some (different) antibiotics so rang the vet as I don't like just doing these things willy nilly. An hour of so later I went to check on him and it had popped anyway. I can't say I went looking for anything but couldn't see much on his blankets. His stomach was covered in yellowly junky blood so I gave him a quick rinse down and a gentle squeeze (might as well get it all out). His winky is now nice and flat and strangely looks much much better. He's back on baytril for a week and has another appointment on Monday.
I also took Korra in as I'm concerned about her, she's dead ferret sleeping all the time and a wonderful rescue ferrent shared with me a video that demonstrates that (for some strange reason) ferrets with insulinoma hold their tails differently (anyone else noticed this???). Well Korra does that, she's been a little unsteady on her feet, not as energetic and either staring off into space or plotting the annihilation of the planet (who can tell, she looks pretty serious either way). So I took her in and asked for her BG to be done. It was 4.2 (UK reading, think around 75 US reading). So the vet said it's low but not massively low. She took a full blood sample (1.2ml out of my little princess) and is sending it off for as many tests as they can get out of it to make sure there is nothing else going on. When they get it back and if it's all clear they will start her on some meds. I guess pred. Vet also pondered if she was adrenal, but said we would deal with the insulinoma first.
Just as he's so often left out these days, Bolin is happy, pretty healthy, bit fat and still nipping feet for attention (can someone train me to ignore his cute little bum wiggle???).
Oh and the lovely rescue lady came to visit us today, she's having a rough time so it meant a lot that she spent some time with us and gave me lots of encouragement to continue and that I'm a good mummy to my babies and doing the right thing by Mako. She said not to even consider having him PTS at this point, he's not ready. He loves life and wants to live! I'm thinking I might find out which vets she uses and see if I can help pay some cost over the phone. Maybe the price of a neuter or something??? Every little helps and all that.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2015 16:36:52 GMT -5
I love seeing Mako on his wheels. Bless his heart. Baytril is an excellent antibiotic. It actually saved my horse from a kidney infection. That area is just so hard to heal. Keep us posted.
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Post by Blue on Aug 13, 2015 17:05:49 GMT -5
Aww, he doesn't look so much a h*ll's Angel as a little Cupid! I think it's the white and red thing he's got going. It's wonderful to see him, it looks like he is doing so well and enjoying life to the fullest! You are a fantastic ferrent, and Mako is really lucky to have found his way to you Now don't go thinking this lets you off the hook for the homecoming video
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Post by RedSky on Aug 14, 2015 3:26:07 GMT -5
Thanks Should be able to get another video this afternoon, it's easier now Mako is doing better with his wheels. Blue, it probably doesn't help he's wearing a pretty pink harness either! Haha. I think I have a black one somewhere but this is the harness he's always worn, it was Korra's but it's far too big for her so everyone went down a harness size and Korra got a new one (which she can still get out off). I went to check them all this morning and Mako is the only one who woke up. As I walked out of their room he started scratching at his playpen, I stopped to look at him and those eyes. Well he needs this :stupid: as of course I went back and got him out. He's now running around doing his thing. I think he's looking for Bolin, but Bo is still fast asleep. I'll get them all some breakfast and Bo will wake up pretty quickly and they can have a play then.
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Post by crazylady on Aug 15, 2015 12:41:23 GMT -5
Yeah !!!!!!!!! I saw him he is moving great ( he did whisper aunty bev where are the studs and chains real hells angels get studs and chains !!!!) hummm I may have to work on that one for him I know a few people who make harnesses heeee heeee give him a great big kiss from me take care bye for now Bev
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Post by mjbez on Aug 15, 2015 14:25:26 GMT -5
Watching your little guy using his wheelchair is sooo sweet. Would love to see more vidoes!
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Post by RedSky on Aug 15, 2015 14:34:39 GMT -5
Mako decided to open up his wound this evening, so I'm trying to decide if he needs to go to the emergency vet over an hour away for an IV or if he's okay to stay home. He's had plenty to eat and drink, he's currently snuggled in a blanket on my lap. He did lose quite a bit of blood and his gums where white, I honestly thought that was it. But figured we didn't really have time to get him there if he was going into shock anyway so gave him food and water, kept him warm. His colour is coming back but I'm still very worried about him. He seems bright though, everytime I check to make sure he's still breathing and responsive he gives me a cross look, then tries to bury himself in the blanket where I can't get him. He is tired but he did it after having a playtime so he is going to be tired anyway, and he normally sleeps as soon as he's wrapped up in a blanket so that's normal for him too... Can't decide what to do. If it was the normal vet I'd just take him, but they don't know much about ferrets to start and I don't think he needs an IV if his colour is returning and he's bright and eating and drinking fine. Any thoughts?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2015 16:42:36 GMT -5
How is Mako today?
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Post by acodlin on Sept 6, 2015 18:22:20 GMT -5
checking in and wondering how Mako is doing!
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Post by RedSky on Sept 7, 2015 6:53:54 GMT -5
Sorry things have been little hectic with Mako taking up a lot of my time. Mako is doing pretty well. I wasn't doing his leg exercises while he was recovering (it would make his wound bleed) so that has left them really really stiff and moving them now is difficult. One leg is improving while the other is almost solid. I do massage them and it seems to be helping. He is losing muscles over his back, along with down his spine and of course his legs and hips are all skin and bones. He's not really losing weight, staying at around 1kg, but I can feel his spine from about 2" past his shoulders. His fur is growing back from where it was almost waxed by having to tape bandages to him, to stop him opening his wound, which he did a few more times. It's pretty much all healed up now. He's leaking urine less than he was, and a gentle bit of pressure makes him go (so a hand on his stomach while being held means you're going to get urinated on... or Korra or Bolin walking on him will get things going too) but that means I can make sure he doesn't need a wee before coming out to play, without having to be forceful like when I was expressing him before. His wee willy winky area has healed up beautifully. Thanks to some premature baby nappies and bandages. There is no whole at all anymore so shouldn't be any way for any infections to build up again. His new whole is doing great, we just have to keep trimming the hair away from the edges so it doesn't get irritated. Food wise, he is an eating machine, and what goes in must come out. So still lots of baths and cleaning up their cage as he has no control or awareness. I've given up with matching blankets and making the cage pretty, just aiming for things to be clean. Thank goodness they couldn't care less, they just appreciate a clean bed.
Korra had a blood test, which all came back normal but and here's the real kicker. The vet took as much blood as she felt comfortable doing and sent it off to the lab for a full run of tests. The lab decided there wasn't enough blood for all the tests so just randomly picked them. They did the hormone tests (for adrenal) which are often false negatives anyway, but didn't do the insulin test. We think (local rescue lady who saved Mako's life is 100% sure) she has insulinoma. But vet doesn't want to go ahead without proof. Korra isn't too bad symptoms wise, just a little unsteady on her feet after first waking up and sleeping a lot more. After not even a minute of being awake she is bouncing around, playing, eating, drinking, toileting fine. Bright and happy. But I have to wake her up, to play, to eat, to do anything. I'm sure she would wake up eventually but otherwise she's missing out on time out of the cage and the best bit of the meals. She used to be up and bouncing as soon as I opened the door to their room. And this has been going on for too long now. Vet said to give her a while to recover from the blood test and they would do it again. But she has to be sedated to get blood, and like I said they took quite a bit.
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Post by acodlin on Sept 8, 2015 18:35:45 GMT -5
Glad to hear about mako! Can they not just use a glucose meter and get a small drop to test korra's BG?
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