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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 1:23:25 GMT -5
Okay so it has been a really awful wild day and I'm too nervous to sleep. Here's what happened. Around late afternoon Gwin was eating a few mice in his feeding den. I got up, went to wash my hands and when I came back he'd apparently squirmed out, and ate through my laptop charger cable in like the 30 seconds I was gone. There was rubber everywhere from it and in a panic I gave him a little bit of hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting before it got in his intestines and caused a blockage. It was a quick panic reaction but he didn't throw anything up. He just spit up some of the HP and that was it. I thought he'd probably spit up his food too, but nothing. No food or rubber. I'm not even sure IF he ate any because it was such a mess I mean there was rubber pieces everywhere, in different sizes. I just wanted to be safe in case he had! But an hour later he "went" once with a normal looking poop. However the next two times he went, it looked like he passed the olive oil he got as a treat in the morning, and more of hydrogen peroxide i think because it smelled really awful. I checked all the times and didn't find any rubber in it either. It's been about seven hours and he won't really eat, he just hides the food I give him. He wouldn't even try the pumpkin I tried to spoon feed him, let alone the foods he loves. He's drinking plenty of water, and he's playful (I got him to play games with me a few hours ago) but I'm just worried something's wrong anyways. I'm thinking now that he didn't ingest anything and he's just having tummy trouble passing some of the HP that he swallowed instead of throwing back up, but I don't know if that's the case. Does anyone have any experience with this? What emergency signs should I be looking for that something is really not alright? I'm just really scared for him and feeling so guilty that either way it's my fault for being careless even for 30 seconds. I'm scared to go to work in the morning if he's really not alright. I know that HP breaks down to basically being water, so maybe that's all that's bothering him like a big watery enema but... I don't even know. And if he is in danger of a blockage, what should I be looking for? Other than the watery olive oily runs he seems to be okay right now. For now, I'm going to have him sleep in his cage instead of free roam tonight, and I left him something to eat in case he gets hungry overnight... I really hope he feels well enough to eat. Anyways I know this was long I'm just scared. If anyone knows anything they can help me with please let me know! All I want is to do what's best for his health and I just need to make sure that's going to be okay.  Thanks you guys |
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Post by Thérèse on Oct 7, 2013 4:42:51 GMT -5
Ok what you need to do is get some pumpkin into him and wait for a big orange poop. That will let you know that everything is passing through and there is no blockage. Keep an eye on him, alternate vaseline and pumpkin each hour until you see a good couple of poops. If he gets lethargic or starts trying to vomit or in any way seems unwell to you get him to a vet and get a barium x-ray done. A normal x-ray won't always show a blockage and a barium one will not only give you better info but sometimes even push anything in there out. It's good he's drinking (he needs to stay hydrated) but definitely keep him confined so you can monitor both input and output. Years ago when Diablo had a blockage (which I didn't have a clue about but was going to and fro from the vet having tests cause I knew something was wrong) I knew he was somewhat dehydrated so was syringing him water, I had him in a carrier so I could watch him and so I knew nothing was coming out not even pee, noticing that probably saved his life. He had a surgery appointment the next day (having done all the tests we could think of so it was a kind of exploratory thing), I took him in early because of the nothing coming out and me having syringed water regularly all night, the vet said he was about half an hour from dying (his organs were shutting down), his appointment wasn't for another 2 hours, so it really did save his life. They stabilised him, did the surgery, found the blockage and he lived a number of years happily after the incident. S
What all that waffle was to stress was that blockages are not things to take lightly and you really need to be able to monitor him and get him to the vet asap if he seems unwell, cause with these things timing can be everything.
Good luck with sweet Gwin, you are both in my thoughts, hopefully he will give you some good healthy poops and all will be well.
PS don't beat yourself up, no matter how much care you take ferrets will find a way to get into trouble. So long as you love Gwin and always act from that love, Gwin will love you and forgive anything else and you will be being the best ferrent he could wish for
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 4:58:17 GMT -5
Okay, okay, but how do I get him to eat pumpkin when he doesn't even want to eat food he likes? Like I said above I think he has tummy upset from throwing up and he just doesn't want to eat the orange stuff.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 6:32:18 GMT -5
An update, I just syringe fed him a tbsp of pumpkin. A moment before when I was getting the syringe ready I saw him straining to poop but nothing came out except some runny olive oil like earlier, just a little. I don't think this is due to a blockage just yet because it was probably the very last of that stuff leaving his system so there was only a little left. There's literally no food in his system so nothing else would come out. So, now he has a belly of pumpkin and I'm going to stay up and watch him.
I did call ahead at the emergency clinic only to find out the only after hours care in the area does not treat ferrets. However they told me if he begins to be unresponsive or keeps straining they're willing to attempt a barium x ray for me anyways and do their best -- they just wanted me to know they're not exactly experts. His normal vet office opens in four hours so if anything else I'll have him in there at 8AM when they open and I'm going to watch him like a hawk until then.
Right now I think he just isn't eating because his tummy hurts/is sore from vomiting 12 hours ago. When I was syringe feeding him he was getting stiff and tense like the food in his tummy bothered him. I don't think he has a blockage just yet because there's literally nothing in his system, I'm still unsure if he ate anything of the rubber cable. If he can pass pumpkin in the next few hours I'll feel much better about it. I'll just keep feeding him hourly alternating pumpkin and vaseline and watch him. It's the best I can do.
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Post by Thérèse on Oct 7, 2013 6:51:47 GMT -5
Hopefully he will have a big orange poop and put your mind at rest. I would definitely be getting him in as soon as they open if he hasn't, assuming things are no worse and you haven't had to do an emergency dash. Not eating for too long is not good for ferrets, although raw fed ferrets do better with it than kibble fed. I hesitate to suggest force feeding because if he is not eating because he is blocked that may be a bad thing to do (the pumpkin though is designed to shift anything along but if nothing comes out then he definitely needs to go in)
You are in my thoughts and I hope sweet Gwin is fine and soon back to his usual cheeky self
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 7:24:53 GMT -5
Right after I gave him a spoonful of vaseline, he had a runny pumpkin poop, not solid. So, in the few hours before they open I'm going to keep on alternating the pumpkin and vaseline and seeing if it keeps moving things through. Should it be more solid? I think he just has an upset tummy so it's coming out runny but if he's blocked would it do that? Or would nothing come out at all?
Thank you I hope so too :[
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 8:09:07 GMT -5
Another update, no movements yet but he woke up from another nap a little while ago and ate a mouse I left in his cage to graze on. I hope everything comes out... It's good that he is feeling well enough to eat on his own volition.
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Post by Thérèse on Oct 7, 2013 8:21:57 GMT -5
Eating on his own is definitely a good sign and hopefully the mouse will help his poops form. Runny may be an upset tummy and also partially vaseline but keep monitoring for a good poop or two so you can know that's all it was
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 9:02:19 GMT -5
Nothing yet but I gave him more pumpkin and he ate another mouse. I'm really hoping he goes a normal poop in the next half hour or so because today is (of course) a day I can't even call out of work without getting fired. I was figuring if he could go normally at least once I can go to work for a few hours and come back and check on him on my breaks. But if not I'm just going to be late for work and take him to the vet instead. I can't afford to get fired (especially if something happens and he needs surgery) so I'm really nervous.
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Post by Sherry on Oct 7, 2013 9:08:24 GMT -5
The fact he's eating is a good sign. Keep alternating 1 tbsp pumpkin with 1 tsp vaseline or lax. Can you drop him at your vet's on your way to work "just in case"?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 9:18:34 GMT -5
I'm not sure because my vet opens the same time as my work. I wish they'd at least have an answering service or something so I could get in contact with someone.
As soon as I started typing that ^^^ he woke up and started eating a chick. Still hasn't gone. I have to make a decision in the next 15 min and I'm scared :[ I wish my job could be more understanding but they really don't like me there...
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Post by Sherry on Oct 7, 2013 9:22:15 GMT -5
How far apart are they(work and vet)? And can you be 15-20 minutes late to work? Or is there someone you can have check on him, or even run him in for you?
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Post by Sherry on Oct 7, 2013 9:23:10 GMT -5
And how long are you going to be out of the house?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2013 9:32:34 GMT -5
The vet is almost an hour away from my work (without rush hour)... my work is pretty far off because the vet is close to my house. Sadly I don't have anyone who can check on him for me. So, I just decided to text my work telling them I'll be late because I don't feel good enough to drive for a bit (they'd accept that over a pet illness, that's how bizarre they are). For now I'm gonna keep watching him and see if he can go until the vet opens. I think I'll take him outside because he's awake and he wants to play so maybe if he runs around he'll get his system moving too. And when the vet opens in half an hour I'm gonna call them if he hasn't gone yet for sure and then drop him off on my way in to work.
I haven't gotten a text back but you know in my heart if they fire me that's okay because i would rather have no job and go hunting for a new one than have anything happen to him. That's my priority.
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Post by Sherry on Oct 7, 2013 9:38:05 GMT -5
I fully understand! Tell them you have the runs or something and are waiting for the immodium to take effect,  . Definitely be at the door the minute the vet opens(providing you don't see a poop by then), let them know what's happening and board him for the day. |
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