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Post by unclejoe on Dec 28, 2021 22:41:32 GMT -5
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Post by Charlie on Dec 29, 2021 22:25:58 GMT -5
Awww, these pictures remind me of my sister's 2nd ferret, Ricky. He had thinning hair as well. He was such a sweet ferret and that's what got me interested in ferrets. I only met her first ferret (a female) once, which she got from a girl who wanted to rehome her. She was an older ferret with adrenal. I don't recall at that time if there was DES implants then. Then she got Ricky, who I met a few times. That's why I have Charlie. Ricky had adrenal and insulinoma. He had fur between what Jaffa had and what Winnipeg looks like now. I just want to cuddle them and keep them warm. He didn't have cataracts.
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Post by unclejoe on Dec 30, 2021 21:48:24 GMT -5
Were you initially scuffing when you gave meds? I have a noodle that will only eat via syringe (reason is still pending, we need to run more tests) and after about three days of scruff feeding he figured it out and is all good for us now. The trick is to get the syringe between the back teeth and aim for the roof of the mouth. It also helps if you dip the tip of the syringe in some salmon oil, so they are more willing to allow you to put it in their mouth as they try to lick it off, and then give them their meds. But oil after the meds is a great trick too because it trains them that they get a treat, so it is easier to allow it to happen quickly so they can get their treat faster. I personally haven't had to deal with insulinoma yet, but I have four ferrets, so I'm trying to learn everything I can so it doesn't sneak up on us. Why syringe only? Is there a medical issue? the syringe technique is sound, just wondering why it's needed.
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Post by Corvidophile on Jan 6, 2022 19:24:56 GMT -5
Winnipeg is wandering around lost and upset again tonight, I followed him around for a few minutes trying to see if he was looking for something in particular but I couldn’t figure him out so I put him on the couch under the blanket with me and he calmed down.
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Post by Charlie on Jan 7, 2022 21:00:56 GMT -5
Maybe he just needs cuddles from you.
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Post by Corvidophile on Jan 8, 2022 20:15:20 GMT -5
Winnipeg got lost again last night and tonight, it tends to happen after medication at night but not in the morning. Yesterday he took a dump on the rug after running around frantically for a while and then was ok so I thought maybe that was it, that he was looking for his litterbox and couldn’t remember where it was, but when I tried putting him in the litterbox tonight he just kept hopping out. I left him in the cage to confine him to a safe place while I prepared his dinner and between the time I left and came back he had calmed down and was ready to eat. I don’t know what to make of it, whether it’s confusion or maybe little stress seizures?
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Post by unclejoe on Jan 8, 2022 21:11:50 GMT -5
I know you know this, but It will come to the point where you have to decide between living and quality of life. We all support your efforts, and I personally have been where you are a dozen times or more.
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Post by Corvidophile on Jan 9, 2022 12:25:55 GMT -5
He has a vet appointment tomorrow, so I’ll find out whether his sugar has been dipping low enough to possibly cause seizures. I don’t think that’s it, it doesn’t look like the videos I’ve seen of other ferrets seizing, but I’m not sure. If it isn’t sugar related I’ll ask about gabapentin.
He still loves to eat and sleep on my feet and explore small boxes (but he won’t enter his dryer tubing anymore), so I think he has a pretty good go of it aside from the episodes he has at night. It’s definitely sad and distressing when it happens, though.
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Post by Charlie on Jan 9, 2022 17:30:53 GMT -5
Maybe he is confused because he can't see anymore or having a hard time deciphering what he is seeing or lack thereof. Poor little guy.
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Post by Corvidophile on Jan 10, 2022 13:40:58 GMT -5
His blood sugar crashed, he’s back down to 50, six and a half hours after meds and food. Increasing the pred back up to .25 mL’s and I’m supposed to call in a week to report whether his nighttime wanderings have stopped.
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Post by Charlie on Jan 13, 2022 23:21:11 GMT -5
Did the vet say that the wandering may be due to his blood sugar?
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Post by Corvidophile on Jan 14, 2022 7:05:01 GMT -5
Yeah, he thinks the excitement of taking meds when he’s already low may lead to that. He’s certainly been wandering less and giving up and going to the couch to lie down sooner, but this morning was weird, he got nauseous and started pawing at his mouth, drooling, and shaking his head. I gave him some more cream (he’s forgiven it and is back on it now as an aftermed treat) to wash down what I assume was some vomited up pred in his mouth and he calmed down.
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Post by unclejoe on Jan 14, 2022 18:55:26 GMT -5
this thread has gotten so long, I forget, do you give pred with food? It should be
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Post by Charlie on Jan 15, 2022 1:22:02 GMT -5
Yeah, I suppose it's not great tasting lol
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Post by Corvidophile on Jan 15, 2022 13:14:28 GMT -5
In the morning I give it just after his breakfast and with cream, and in the evening I give it with just cream about two hours before he gets his final meal of the day. His other med, diazoxide, is given along with the pred both times too and is very fatty, it’s an almond oil suspension.
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