I dont kno where else to go - sev wks ago my 5 yr old boy ferret was fine & later in the day when I got home from work he wouldnt come out of his bed - lethargic, weaving his head, dehydrated....just not himself. Took him to the E-vet & they gave sub-Q fluids & sent me home w/amoxicillan b/c I didnt have the $2000 to pay for all sorts of tests. (he did get a blood test run & that was good/normal & they said he doesnt hav insulinoma).
he took the amoxi 2x/day for 10 days, I fed him soft foods thru an eyedropper & he got a tiny bit better but was pretty much getting thinner & stayed sick for 9 days....then out of the blue he got up, went to the potty & proceeded to bury his face in his bowl of crunchy food & devour it...this continued for a week...him eating normally again, normal stools, normal treat eating, playing, gaining weight.
at the end of the week he became slo & lethargic again & went back & forth from day to day being 'normal' & strong enough to travel the various levels of his cage to being lethargic other days & sleeping a lot, drinking a lot & not eating....then half way thru the week he was normal again & playing w/toys & gaining weight.
tonite after work he was sick again & seems even more lethargic & weak than the nite he was at the E-vet. he drinks lots of water but hasnt gone to the potty. he wont eat his crunchy food or take treats so I tried some soft food (Science Diet a/d for quick weight gain as suggested by my reg ferret vet) thru an eyedropper & he only took one dropper full. he rested a bit & got what seemed to be the dry heaves. . . looked like he would vomit several diff times but hed swallow whatever tried to come out & was even pawing at his own mouth on the inside a few times. I felt so helpless...I tried giving some ferret lax in case hes having trouble going to the bathroom but he only took a little. he is so thin & weak he can barely keep his head up but hes a tough little fighter & still drinks water and walks around slowly.
I have no idea what is wrong with him. hes not losing hair. he had long sections of time he seemed 'back to normal'. the E-vet had already said his blood is fine & its not insulonma. hes not having seizures. when he DOES eat he has normal stools. hes just not gaining weight back & I can feel his bones & I dont know whats wrong or what to do.
I dont have thousands of dollars to run tests or do medical procedures. Im nearly broke after the E-vet already & dont know where else to go. Can someone please help me? Its really heartbreaking holding him and not knowing what I should do or how I should help him?
he lives alone (since his cagemate passed away suddenly last fall in Nov) & hes never had problems til now.
Any advice or ideas are appreciated.
Thank you.
-VickyBee (owner of Timon)
he took the amoxi 2x/day for 10 days, I fed him soft foods thru an eyedropper & he got a tiny bit better but was pretty much getting thinner & stayed sick for 9 days....then out of the blue he got up, went to the potty & proceeded to bury his face in his bowl of crunchy food & devour it...this continued for a week...him eating normally again, normal stools, normal treat eating, playing, gaining weight.
at the end of the week he became slo & lethargic again & went back & forth from day to day being 'normal' & strong enough to travel the various levels of his cage to being lethargic other days & sleeping a lot, drinking a lot & not eating....then half way thru the week he was normal again & playing w/toys & gaining weight.
tonite after work he was sick again & seems even more lethargic & weak than the nite he was at the E-vet. he drinks lots of water but hasnt gone to the potty. he wont eat his crunchy food or take treats so I tried some soft food (Science Diet a/d for quick weight gain as suggested by my reg ferret vet) thru an eyedropper & he only took one dropper full. he rested a bit & got what seemed to be the dry heaves. . . looked like he would vomit several diff times but hed swallow whatever tried to come out & was even pawing at his own mouth on the inside a few times. I felt so helpless...I tried giving some ferret lax in case hes having trouble going to the bathroom but he only took a little. he is so thin & weak he can barely keep his head up but hes a tough little fighter & still drinks water and walks around slowly.
I have no idea what is wrong with him. hes not losing hair. he had long sections of time he seemed 'back to normal'. the E-vet had already said his blood is fine & its not insulonma. hes not having seizures. when he DOES eat he has normal stools. hes just not gaining weight back & I can feel his bones & I dont know whats wrong or what to do.
I dont have thousands of dollars to run tests or do medical procedures. Im nearly broke after the E-vet already & dont know where else to go. Can someone please help me? Its really heartbreaking holding him and not knowing what I should do or how I should help him?
he lives alone (since his cagemate passed away suddenly last fall in Nov) & hes never had problems til now.
Any advice or ideas are appreciated.
Thank you.
-VickyBee (owner of Timon)