Possible Partial Blockage / Stomack-bowel discomfort....

[mel01]

Hi, need some guidance. Not sure what to do. So my 2YO ferret started to eat more since like a month and a half ago. We would eat on average 40 grams per meal (AM & PM) and he started to eat more and eating around 100-120 grams a day in 3 meals. He used to weight 1kg to 1.1 kg and today he weights 1.4 kgs. He is a fatty.



Anyways, around 2 weeks ago he decrease his appetite back again to like eating 80 grams per day divided in the 3 meals still. He looks for food and eats by himself but less than the last 4 weeks. Also his poops were smaller and fewer, he also decreased his activity level, he is playful but much less, he is a little bit lethargic and goes to sleep on the ceramic floor. When usually he would only sleep on his beds.



About 15 days ago I saw him like gauging trying to vomit without actually vomiting, and this along the small poops and somewhat lethargic I panicked and so I did the pumpkin/Vaseline protocol for 5 hours (photos in the collage) then I feed him Stella & Chewy (Rabbit) and he pooped the one photo with the q-tip.



I could tell he has some stomach discomfort because when I grabbed him from the stomach he would show a small cry type of discomfort. It’s been almost 2 weeks and he still shows the same signs, sometimes he poops fine and sometimes he won’t poop as much. After giving him a tsp of pumpkin for 2-3 days he is pooping like the photo with the remark “trio of tsp”.

• I took him to the vet today, and said it could be a partial blockage and offered to do a 2 views X-Ray ($334 CAD/ $255 USD) to see if it had something. 
• I asked for the barium x-ray and they said the 1st step would be this and then barium if needed. 
  
• They also said it could be because he’s too fat. That its painful for him to carry his weight and makes him more tired and that might be the reason why he is less active.
  
• He has no fever, no vomiting, no diarrhea.
  
• 
  

Signs: tiredness, some lethargy, eating less than lately, shows discomfort when carry him from down his belly and when he jumps from the bed to the floor he makes a sound of like a ballon like a hiccup.



I honestly don’t have the budget for the Xray thing. in the case it was a partial blockage what would be the solution? The surgery is above $1K which I don’t have the funds to pay.

• Vet disregards and infection because he has no fever. She said that we could try a stool sample to see if any parasites…
  

QUESTION - could I repeat the Pumpkin/Vaseline protocol one more time? In case he still has something To get it all out? It’s been 2 weeks since the original protocol.



Or could it be something else ? Should I look for a barium x-ray? Or a 2nd opinion ?





Photos link:https://postimg.cc/gallery/NLqy649

[abbeytheferret6]

I did a barium xray on my boy a few yrs back---my vet tried to pooh -pooh my suggestion but I had it done anyway---all turned out fine and the barium stuff comes out like caulking. It does help push things out. I did not have to do an xray first. I do not think it would have worked anyway as my boy shredded up some styrofoam that was anchoring a silk plant. go for a second opinion if you like. Get the least amount of anesthesia that can be given during x-rays should you get one. They say an x-ray doesn't show up soft things. I thought this is what I read---but not sure though. Maybe someone would know about that.

I have used Care Credit for big bills.

I would not feel bad about doing another protocol.

What about ultrasound to detect something else? A person who does a lot of ultrasounds for my vet dd one on my Annabelle and detected a bright spot.  I went ahead and scheduled surgery. She had a 1 inch putrid lesion on her pancreas and fluid in her stomach ---I did go ahead and put her to sleep. She did have a fatty tummy for a while. I do not know if that contributed to her situation.

[unclejoe]

I see bright orange like the pumpkin passed ok in the first set. No harm in a second try.