Wordless Wednesday: The Vet Visit

 

Have A Chittering Good Day,

 

Jo

Iz had toz goz

I stayed as long as I could.

Knowing your heart would shatter when I left.

You gave me your very best even to the end.

There wasn’t anything you could do but love me.

My short life I lived a lot.

I meet people both old and young and made them smile.

I helped you show the world that my kind isn’t as bad as the media portrays us.

I got to travel to so many states for different events.

My first was Bark World and my last HollyWoof

Know that I am near with only a thought.

The pain will ease in time but your love will always be strong.

While you might not want to dance now don’t forget how to Weasel War Dance in the sun.

Remember the good we did together and know that your love carried me on my next adventure.

Manny

Lift the Ban!

New York City’s Board of Health is going to have a hearing on January 21, 2014 with regards to lifting the ban on owning ferrets in NYC.

New York City has had a ban on ferrets since 1999 when then Mayor Giuliani and a ferret enthusiast got into a heated debate on the radio. Since that time ferret owners in New York City  have been considered criminals and could have their ferret(s) confiscated if found. 

Which means that many ferret owners are taking risks every time they take their beloved fur ball to the vet where they could be turned in to the authorities or worse the vets who look the other way are not fully trained in ferret care and often charge outrageous sums for the green papers hoomans give each other.

They have already had one hearing on December 9, 2013 which opened up many of the debates that California Wildlife and Game commission has used to keep ferrets illegal in that state.

Some of those debates include that we, ferrets, enjoy gnawing on little children and news stories have shown up where we have supposedly attacked children. One in particular that happened in Missouri has never been completely substantiated one way or the other as to if that ferret did indeed do what it was accused of doing be for being murdered in a horrific way.

We don’t gnaw on children. We might lick off any food residue on their tiny hands. Or if they are infants in a car seat on the floor and they are making squeaking noises we might think they are a kit (a baby ferret) and will try to take them to where we feel they will be safe. Or we might think they are our favorite toy and try to replace it back in our hide hole.  Hooman has often over the years said that ferrets and small children do not mix.

Like most animals we can be prone to certain viruses and rabies is one of the most common viruses out there. Depending on the research there hasn’t been more than 20 cases of ferrets having rabies  since 1954 in the United States that may because there are vaccinations for rabies. Responsible hoomans take us in for yearly vaccinations.

Our hooman would not be able to travel to different places or take us to ferret shows without us being vaccinated against rabies and distemper.

As for breeding. Many of us come from large chain pet stores and we have already been fixed and have had our anal glands removed. While not having our anal glands does help lessen our signature musky smell it does not eliminated it as the musky scent comes from the oils in our skin. That smell is what puts us in the category of mustelidae.

As for getting out of a building and setting up a colony of feral ferrets seems farfetched as we don’t tend to do well in temperatures over 70 degrees and with some of the below zero temps not many would survive. But one of the possible upsides to that scenario is that New York City might not have the rat problem as we were originally domesticated to hunt rodents.

Our hooman describes us as a kitten and a two year old rolled into one and we never grow up. I guess that means we are constantly looking for new things to play with when we are not sleeping.

We can be litter trained like a cat and walk in a harness on a lead like a dog. We are inquisitive to the world around us and have a short lifespan.  Why should the New York City Board of Health deny ferret owners the right to have their pet without worry. I am sure there is a larger cat and dog population in NY then there are ferrets but until the ban is lifted no one will ever know for sure.

Maybe, just maybe if New York does lift its ban California will take notice and start working towards legalizing ferrets there.

We at Enlightened Ferret would love to have some of our New York City friends attend this hearing and if you have met us let the board of health know just how unique and well mannered we were to you and your pet as we have met many of you through Blog Paws.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Manny

Getting Older

 

 

So Saturday was my fifth birthday. Which means I am now on the threshold of becoming a senior pet. With that hooman has more concerns about my health.

I am already considered to have Adrenal Disease since I have an enlarged spleen but am not showing any other signs such as hair loss like Marcuz is.

Hooman has started doing weekly testing of my blood sugar to make sure I am not showing any signs of Insulinoma.

I am also starting to show some signs of tooth decay even though hooman does brush my teefs. It will be one of the many things we will discuss with my awesome vet Doctor Doverspike in March of April depending on when we can get an appointment with him. Hooman doesn’t want to take any chances with our healthcare  and I really don’t like the lady vet that did my ultra sound.

I will also have to start seeing Doctor Doverspike twice a year if not more depending on my age but then I won’t be going alone since Marcuz will be turning five in September.

Here are just a couple of pics of me getting my bifday treats. Yum! 

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Manny

Woozel Wednesday

Woozel is another term many ferret owners use to describe their beloved little fur ball. Which makes sense as they are related to the weasel.

We are on our count down to Blog Paws and on the list of things to do was getting the 3 M's their vaccinations and health certificates.

Many people don't realize that ferrets can be exposed to many cat or dog viruses and occasionally get them. The only thing is that many of them are 100% fatal to ferrets no matter how fast it is discovered.
The two main diseases ferrets should be vaccinated against are rabies and distemper. There didn't use to be a vaccine that was made just for ferrets for either of these diseases and while the canine (puppy) vaccines have been used the effectiveness is relatively unknown.

Many ferret breeders/owners were glad to see the release of vaccines make especially for ferrets. Unfortunately the company that makes the distemper vaccine for ferrets has deemed the manufacturing of the vaccine to expensive and has stopped production. Leaving major shortages across the United States.  (Are you listening Merial?)

The reason I bring this up is because we are back to using puppy distemper vaccine for the 3 M's and only certain brands are recommended for ferrets none of which our vet uses.  But thankfully our favorite vet Dr. Sam Doverspike knows that we travel and has given the boys the vaccine he knew that while there are risks I would be ready for them.

Marcuz loves the taste of his vet and always gets in a few licks before trying to take a taste. Marcuz will be turning three this year and that means he is moving out of teenage years and into senior it also means he is a candidate for certain diseases that are very common in ferrets.  One of which is adrenal disease.

One of the signs is called Rat Tail and as you can see Marcuz has one but that is the only sign he is showing and we'll be monitoring him to make a decision about how to proceed. The two major options are an implant and/or surgery both of which can wait a little bit.

Manny has a slightly enlarged spleen also a known issue with ferrets and will be monitored closely. Manny turned 4 in January and really is considered on his way into seniorhood. But you would never tell from the way he was exploring the vet's office.
 

Marylin was the healthiest of them all but then she is only celebrating her 2nd birthday on July 1 at that time she will be a teenager.


While I know my boys are headed into a realm I don't want them to go I've been there done that with adrenal and know what to expect and how to deal with each coming event. The enlarged spleen is new and I will be compiling mounds of research just to keep informed and stay educated about it.

With a total of six shots my fur babies are ready for travel and have their health certificates to prove they've been seen and are allowed to travel the states.

I love that our vet office loves pets as much as we do even the light cover in the bathroom shows off their great sense of humor.




Have a Chittering Good Day,
Jo
15 days and counting.

Did You Know That Ferrets Get Colds

 

I just got over a bad cold. The kind where your head feels like it is going to explode. What many people don’t realize is that ferrets can and do get/give human colds. They can also give it back to the human if precautions are not taken to prevent the spread of the virus.

The precautions are the same ones you would take to prevent other family members from getting your cold. Hand washing is the number one thing you can do. I also have hand sanitizer in every room so that I can use it frequently before and after touching my fur babies. I also tend to wear a mask as not to breathe too many germs on them. The ideal situation would be for someone else to take care of them until I was well over my cold but ideal isn’t always possible.

Colds can last anywhere from seven to ten days and that does not include the time it takes to incubate. So your ferret may already be headed to having his/her own cold before you even see signs of your own cold.

So how do you know if your ferret has a cold? Pretty much the same way you know you have one. Runny nose/eyes, sneezing, sleeping more than normal, not wanting to play, and eating less. Treating a ferret with a cold is pretty much the same routine you do for yourself. Lots of fluids, a soup called Duck Soup (not made from ducks), warm bed and as long as they are eating and drinking well there should be no need to see the vet. However, if a ferret has stopped taking fluids/eating for more than 24hrs or has diarrhea you need to at least call the vet and ask questions to determine if medical treatment is needed. Dehydration is major concern as it can happen quickly and can lead to death if not treated immediately.

The same can be said for the flu. Did you know that the ferret was used to create the flu vaccine? The ferret's body system works similar to the human body. The ferret is also susceptible the Swine flu and can be fatal if not treated quickly enough. The swine flu can be fatal to the ferret if it is not managed well.

It should also be said that if a ferret already has an underlying issue such as Adrenal Disease or Insulinoma the cold/flu needs to be addressed ASAP as these diseases lower the immune system and the simple cold is not so simple in these ferrets.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Update on Grace

Photo from Washington Metro Area Ferret Outreach.

Grace is off the I.V. support and is eating on her own. Her blood work is slowly improving every day but she still has a long ways to go.

She is starting to act like a ferret by exploring her surroundings and finding comfortable spots to take naps. Her favorite place seems to be on Claudia.

Don’t know the story of Grace? Check it out here

Ferrets normally sleep between 14 to 18 hours a day but I am sure that Grace is sleeping a lot longer than that as she regains her stamina and strength.

If you look you can see where she is starting to get new hair and her ribs aren’t sticking out so far any more.

Enlightened Ferret is proud to help Grace by donating a portion of our sales from Ferret Fabulous Finds Auction House 

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Happy National Ferret Day.

 

April 2^nd was dedicated to helping others recognize the growing ferret community by educating others in the welfare of ferrets. With that said we are proud to update you on the progress of an amazing little ferret girl named Grace.

If you haven’t read Grace’s story you can do so here, but be forewarned that the picture is disturbing.

Not only has Grace survived she is improving each day. She is now eating a little on her own and her blood work is showing improvement but the biggest improvement is her weight gain. While she is still very underweight, she is regaining her strength along with the weight gain.

Photo from Washington Metro Area Ferret Outreach Facebook page.

This little girl has earned a huge following of people who have reached out to help her get well. Enlightened Ferret is proud to be a part of that by creating a special Ferret WarmUp Jacket named for her.

For each one sold 50% of the sale will go to Amazing Grace.

If you would like to help Grace, you can do so by donating to the Washington Metro Area Ferret Outreach 

and put for Grace in the note.

This little girl may not have known love in her past but now that is all she knows.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Justice for Grace.

 

Disclaimer: Photo is graphic. If abused animal disturb you then this is not the post for you.  If you continue to read you do at your own discretion.

For my regular readers you know I don’t often post about those evil people who abuse animals but when I do it is because one of them has grabbed a heart string and plucked it making it sing out in need.

Grace is one of those that has plucked more than just my heart string among us ferret lovers. I first saw a picture of Grace when it was posted on the Washington Metro Area Ferret Outreach’s Facebook page.

She is one of the lucky ones as she was abandoned in an apartment building hallway and animal control was called who in turn called the Outreach who knew exactly where to take her for the best medical care she could get.

An investigation has been opened to find Grace’s owner so that charges can be brought against him or her. There is no way this happened in a few days

and I hate to think about how she managed to survive this long.

If you would like to help Amazing Grace you can donate to the Chadwell Animal Hospital - 443-512-8338 VET INFO or send it to PayPal account steph@wmafo.org and add a note that says for Grace.

Another way to help is to bid on some amazing items from the Ferret Fabulous Finds Auction House 10% is donated to a weekly ferret shelter from all of the artists who have items listed and I am proud to be one of those artists with my unique ferret clothing and I will be donating between 15% and 100% depending on the item sold.

( Ferret WarmUp Jacket for fur challenged ferrets)

If you live in the Washington D.C. Area and recognize this little girl or might know who abandoned this sweet soul please call your local animal control with the information. This little girl did nothing to deserve this abuse.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Did You Know?

Did you know that in 2011 there were only 75 board certified veterinarian dentists in the United States?

Did you know that most people believe that hard food and chew toys will keep a pet’s teeth and mouth free of cavities and other dental problems?

Did you know that ferret teeth grow from the tip up?

Did you know that the pulp inside a ferret’s tooth does not grow all the way down in the tooth?

Did you know that baby ferrets called kits have 30 teeth by the time they are 3 months old and should have lost their baby teeth by the time they are 9 months old?

Did you know that adult ferrets have 34 teeth?

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Cinnamon Update

 

About a week ago, I let you know about little Cinnamon a year old yorkie that had been hit by a car and required surgery for his injuries. Here is the update on this little survivor. (Cue the song I will survive)

 

Thanks to the people at Save a Yorkie Rescue  Cinnamon was taken to Dr. Christopher from Metropolitan Vet Hospital near King of Prussia, PA  to be put back together.

 

Dr. Christopher and his associates rebuilt this tiny pup. They had to fix a broken femur, a dislocated hip, and basically recreate his shattered pelvis. While he isn’t the six million dollar pup, his medical bill is in the thousands.

 

The fear was this little guy wouldn’t make it through surgery and if he the prognosis of him walking or even being able to go to the bathroom on his own was unknown.

 

Not only did this seven-pound fur ball make it through the surgery he has defied the odds and is up and walking and going to the bathroom on his own.

He will be on pain meds for a while and shows his displeasure at being handled with some growls and snaps. I think I would be the same way with the number of staples in my backside.

Cinnamon will be available for adoption after February 23 if you or someone you know would love to help this adorable fellow who has kicked the dirt into the face of certain death. You can submit your application here.

 

Or if you would like to help decrease his large medical bill, you can donate here.

 

Please help this little guy get adopted by passing this along to others. Thank you.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Save a Yorkie named Cinnamon

I don’t normally write about other critters unless they somehow relate to ferrets so this is a completely different kind of post for me.

Roomie, Judy, started fostering at the beginning of the year in hopes of helping her adopted puppy mill rescue Ariel learn how to be a dog.

At the moment, she is fostering Curly who is a seven-year-old yorkie who has cataracts and diabetes and requires insulin twice a day.

She received an urgent email from Save a Yorkie Rescue about another little yorkie named Cinnamon.

Little Cinnamon was surrendered after being hit by a car. This little guy is just a year old and is suffering from one dislocated hip, one  broken hip, along with his pelvis.

As of this writing, we don’t know if he has made it through the surgery that was scheduled for yesterday (February 13, 2013) but the rescue has paid out the large sum of $3000 as a down payment for the surgery and will be owing another $3000 for his care during his recovering if he survived the surgery.

The reality is that Cinnamon may come out of the surgery paralyzed, permanently incontinent  which will make it harder for this little fighter to be adopted.

 

Knowing that I have many readers who understand special need pets I am hoping that some of you can help this wonderful rescue out by donating to his care even if it is $5 as it does add up and help pass this along so that Cinnamon might find the right forever home.

 

By clicking on the Save a Yorkie Rescue logo you will be taken to Cinnamon’s page where you can make a donation.

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

National Pet Dental and Heart Month

February highlights two very important health issues for both humans and their pets. We humans know that we need to take care of our teeth and hearts for various reasons but we don’t often think that we need to do the same for our beloved pets. There is research that shows there is a direct link between dental care and heart issues.

Dental care has been pushed in the last few years and now we can’t go a day without seeing an ad on television for products that help keep the tarter off our dog/cat’s teeth but they are not the only pets that need good dental care.

Heart health is just now starting to get some publicity but not though the traditional media. We are learning more about it from those we follow on twitter, Google +, Facebook, and many blogs and in some instances conferences, such as Blog Paws.

Again, the most focus is on dogs and cats but ferrets are also among those that get heart disease and what is surprising is that there seems to be a link between the lack of a specific supplement and heart disease that both cats and ferrets need. This link has been established in dogs as well but they produce the supplement naturally.

For the month of February, I will be writing about these things.

Without googling what supplement do you think cats and ferrets need?

What dental problems can pets have?

Do you brush your pet’s teeth?

Or do you have yearly dental cleanings performed at the vet’s office?

Year in Review: 2012

I am sitting here wrapped up in a cozy blanket with three ferrets playing hide and attack the toes making me giggle and squeal, as they get a little rough. Boyd the cat is sitting in the window looking at the snow falling while he is safely away from those needle teeth.

This year has had a lot of up and downs for us.

In January, Manny turned two and while the twitter pawty had several hitches, it was still a fun pawty and it lasted a lot longer than planned.

February brought home the fact that ferrets can injure themselves easily when Marcuz did something to his back and it took us five days to get to the vet because of no vehicle.

Marcus was lucky that he only had some swelling and what looked to be a narrowing of space between two disks that was later ruled as normal for his back.

Because of this incident, the challenge to get a vehicle was achieved by the gracious donations made by so many that follow both this blog and us on twitter.

Thus the Ferret Chariot  became a reality in May and its maiden voyage happened in June when we all loaded up with Doreen from Doggies and Stuff  and took the ultimate road trip to Salt Lake City, UT to attend Blog Paws

Blog Paws was Great as usual and thanks to Michelle Maskaly making me do a tout that I laughed about doing several times before it could be posted. I felt comfortable enough to do a radio interview with Steve Dale show #389 which led to other interviews that I would have never done otherwise.

August saw the addition of Marylin   to the Enlightened Ferret family.

September we loaded up the Ferret Chariot and drove across the state of Pennsylvania to participate in the Berks County 35th Annual walk for the Animals  and help out Boris Kitty’s  human 2 and Edgar support a great place.

We also went to the local pet fest and participated in the pet parade along with educating many people about ferrets.

October, November, and December saw us less online as I had a lot of orders come in for unique ferret costumes.

While we say goodbye to 2012 we are looking forward to the adventures 2013 has planned for us.

Have a Chittering New Year’s Eve Day,

Jo

Traveling with Ferrets

In a few weeks the boys and I will be headed out west to Utah and the annual Blog Paws Conference. This will be my 3^rd Blog Paws and the boy’s second one. We will be driving almost two thousand miles as ferrets aren’t allowed in the cabin of any airlines and I will not put my boys in cargo.

Which is why we are driving and thanks to a lot of help from some awesome folks on twitter we will be traveling in style. The Ferret Chariot will be set up for traveling with ferrets not a small task in itself.

Because ferrets are curious little critters you can’t let them run free in a vehicle as they will find a way under the dash and find the one hole they can get through and will either end up in the engine compartment or worse on the road in the middle of traffic.

So the first thing you need is a crate or carrier for the ferret. The size depends on how much traveling you will be doing with your ferret. As I tend to take my boys as many places as I can and often that includes long distance trips I have a medium dog carrier that I use. It is big enough to hold a small litter pan, their hammock, and the door supports their food dish and water bottle. I also put a dollar store rug on the bottom of the carrier to give them something to curl up on if they don’t want in the hammock.

I seat belt the carrier so that the door of the carrier is pointing towards the vehicle door for easy access. In the case of the van the carrier will be pointing forward on the long bench seat.

Packing for the boys Mind you their suitcase can be bigger than mine depending on how long of a trip it will be. Short day trips only require a bottle of water, their harnesses and leashes, poop bags, and maybe a couple of treats.

For this cross country trip the requirements are a bit different.

Leashes	Harnesses	Puppy Pads
poop bags	food	A gallon Jug of water from home
A few toys	playpen	Health Certificates
Rabies tags	Groom kit	First aid kit
Information kit	Treats	Hand Sanitizer
Trash bags	litter	disposable foil baking dish
food/water dishes	Photo Id’s	List of Ferret Vets along route
freezer cooler packs	The Mini Ferret Chariot	Ferret Backpack
a few outfits

 

I am pretty sure I am forgetting something but as you can see it isn’t a short list. What’s in my suitcase?

Clothes	Groom kit	Journalism bag
Business Cards	shoes	coffee cup

 

As you can see it is a much shorter list. Traveling with ferrets isn’t for the faint of heart as you have to keep an eye on temperatures both inside and outside of the vehicle. Ferrets don’t do well with temps over 68-78 degrees.

When taking breaks be respectful of the rest stop and use the areas marked for pets and even though ferret poop isn’t that large I still set an example and pick it up and dispose of it properly. Be aware of who is around and any other pets.

Some dogs will chase anything that moves and neither of my boys knows to be scared of dogs or cats as they have both at home. Also watch for children that might come running up to pet the neat/weird animal. Some parents have never taught their children to be respectful of others and will touch without asking. I have a strict policy of picking up my boys off the ground and holding them to me and asking them certain questions before sending them off to have their parents come talk to me about them petting the boys.

This does two things it keeps my boys safe from being mauled and keeps the child from getting bit because they have something yummy smelling on their hands. It also gives the parents a chance to come talk to me about my strange critters. This is where the hand sanitizer comes in no matter how much a child says they have washed their hands some don’t do it.

To be continued…

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Update On Marcuz and Other Things

 

Marcuz is back to his old self. Climbing things he shouldn’t and trying to be the dominate male. For now Manny is letting him think that he has won but it will only last until Manny gets tired of Marcuz pushing him around.

For that I am grateful as I am for those that have donated towards the Ferret Chariot. There are so many amazing people out there thank you all.

I am sure that most of you noticed that I’ve been gone for a week both on my blog and twitter. While I could just say I nothing I feel that an explanation is needed.

First you need to know I suffer from Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD) it is a type of depression that hits many in the winter months or those that don’t get a lot of sun. 

There isn’t really a lot known about it and while mine is mild it can become extreme if I am not careful. Which is what happened.

Marcuz getting hurt was just the start. The stress from not being able to get him help and the weird weather threw off my sleeping and eating habits.

Then finding out about a friend losing someone to suicide brought up some unresolved issues of losing someone extremely close to me on the 15th sent me deeper down that dark road.

The final nail that made me withdraw was the fire that cost two people I’ve never met everything and I felt helpless that all I could offer them was a few handmade toys.

I needed to get myself collected and back into the habits that help me deal with my own depression that could have affected how well Marcuz recovered. I know our pets can feel our moods and will try to make us happy.

I didn’t want Marcuz trying to do his funny jig so I would laugh it would have been and is still too soon for him to do that type of wiggling.

So I am back into the habits that keep my SADs in check and the fact that the sun has been out more helps but I am still not 100% but then I don’t think any of us hoomans are ever 100% but I am a lot closer than I was.

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Top 10 Ferret Shelter Needs

 

In featuring Lucky yesterday I realized that most don’t know what a ferret shelter/rescue needs are so here are the top 10.

10. Cleaning Supplies this includes but not limited to:

• Paper towels
• Cloth towels
• baby wipes
• laundry detergent
• Simple Green

9. Medical Supplies

• Alcohol pads
• Ferretone
• lancets
• glucometer
• gauze wrap/pads
• Q-tips®
• tweezers
• Benadryl®
• Distress Remedy

8. Treats

• Bandit® from Marshall
• Greenies®
• Ferretone
• Fer-vite
• Chew weasel
• Foamy fries

7. Grooming

• brush
• ferret shampoo
• small animal nail clippers
• Q-tips®
• Fer-lax
• Ferretone
• pet toothpaste/brush
• towels/drying sack

6. Bedding/ Litter

• Hammock
• sleeping sack
• blankets
• Any non-clumping, no fragrance, no clay litter.

5. Toys

• Jingle balls
• stuffed mice
• socks
• squeaky toys
• infant toys that aren’t rubber/latex

4. Ferret Food

• Marshall’s Ferret Food
• Evo
• 8 in 1
• Zupreem
• Young Again
• Path Valley

3. Cages/ Carriers

Made for rabbit/guinea pig/ferret

Carriers for easier transport to vet or foster homes

2. Volunteers/foster homes

 

1. Donations

Can be gift cards to the local pet store, Wal-Mart™, grocery store, gas card.

Find out where the shelter/rescue takes their fur babies and donate to their vet account.

Monetary to the rescue/shelter itself.

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Marcuz’ Vet Visit

 

Marcuz was great until Saturday morning after breakfast. It is still unclear as to what happened. I fed both him and Manny their breakfast and went to do some chores for about an hour.

Returning to let them out for playtime only to find Marcuz laying on the bottom of cage in an awkward position and unable to move his front paws or hold his head upright.

I gently picked him up and carefully checked to see if I could find anything wrong. The only thing Marcuz did was flinch a couple of times along with grinding his teeth, a sign of pain, but I couldn’t feel anything out of place.

I then placed Marcuz in the travel tote I have for the boys which has a nice fleece bed and a soft blanket in it. I heated up one of my handmade rice packs and put that in with him as well. That seemed to help him relax enough that his paws were no longer sticking straight out as if he was part of a zombie movie.

So started our long weekend of Rescue® Remedy, heat and ice, gentle massage, and range of motion. Marcuz slept a lot more than normal for a ferret but I am sure that the pain wore him out.

I know the whole weekend wore me out as Marcuz wasn’t able to move himself well I had to reposition him every few hours so his skin didn’t break down as well.  I also had to hold him upright so he could go to the bathroom.

A ferret lifts his tail over his rump and uses it like a pump to release the waste matter and food should travel from mouth to rear in 3-4 hours.

Roomie offered to watch Marcuz while I slept a little bit. The nap I took helped to refresh me and cleared my mind enough to realize that our vet has something called Pet Portal which allows you to ask questions and request appointments. Only thing was they had changed the format since the last time I had used it. I filled out a form and submitted it.

By Monday Marcuz didn’t want eat anything but furo-tone®  and Greenies® and I still hadn’t been able to find a ride to the vet’s. Nor could I get through to talk to some one at the vet’s office.

I asked a friend if she could take me to the vet’s on Tuesday as that was when I had requested the appointment only to find out she had appointments of her own.

Tuesday brought on a new problem green diarrhea which can indicate a nasty bug called ECE. Ferret owners call it the green slime disease more on that in another post.

Tuesday night I hadn’t heard back from the vet office so I went back to the Pet Portal and it was then I realized that I had filled out the wrong form. I submitted the right form and heard from the vet office the next morning and was given an appointment time that worked for my friend as well.

Wednesday afternoon had us at the vet’s office. Gave the tech the stool sample. She had never seen ferret poop and trying to accurately describe it was a challenge.

She asked if I had any problems holding Marcuz while she took his temperature. Ferrets will poop if something startles them by touching their anus and Marcuz pooped a lot of green slimey poop his temp was elevated. What I didn’t know was green poop will stain things. Next she weighed Marcuz and he is a 2.5 pound boy.

Then we had to wait for the vet. Who let me know right away that she wasn’t overly knowledgeable about ferrets and felt I should try another vet that might be more so. The ones I know about are another fifty plus miles away from me in any direction and impossible to get to without transportation of my own.

She then examined Marcuz from head to toe and asked my opinion about getting an X-ray done of his spine which I told her I wanted done to rule out possible breaks or dislocations.

Marcuz did great and I forgot my camera so I couldn’t take a picture of the awesome X-ray of his spine and what it revealed.

 

This is not of Marcuz but it shows the skeletal system well. Note where the neck, front leg, and back are.

Note the spacing between each vertebrae or disk. It is approximately 1/8th of an inch apart. Marcuz’ X-ray revealed a narrowing of the space between the disk just after his shoulder and the next one in his back.

While it doesn’t appear to be pinching a nerve it is causing some issues with his front legs and neck.

But the prognosis is good for a full recovery provided I can keep Marcuz from doing what ferrets do best which is running, climbing, jumping, and basically doing everything for the next couple of weeks.

He is also on four different types of medications. Two for his green slime and two for his back. 

As of this writing his green slimey poop is getting back to normal ferret poop color and consistency and his energy level is raising.  He is also using his front paws more and is able to use the litter box on his own.

Because I have to limit his movement he has been upgraded from the tote to the boys travel carrier. Where he has access to water, food, a soft bed and his litter box. His play time for the moment consists of massage, range of motion to his front legs and lots of love and petting.

The vet said it maybe a one time thing but more than likely it could happen again and it might not have happened on Saturday but could have happened months before and Marcuz either moved wrong or Manny landed on him the wrong way when they were playing in the cage.

Cost of going to the vet for an emergency was almost two hundred dollars. Half of that is Marcuz’ medication of which I get to wear pretty pink polka dots of amoxicillin at least once a day.

Disclosure: The X-ray photo do not belong to me but to Ferret Health and Long Beach Animal Hospital

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Not So Wordless Wednesday

 

The weekend before Valentine’s Day Marcuz got hurt. Which would not have been a problem except I didn’t have transportation to the vet’s and relying on friends doesn’t always mean you will get the result you want.

So I am reaching out to those in the Anipal community to help Enlightened Ferret get a vehicle. The ideal one would be a Dodge® Caravan.

Every donor will have the choice of having their name or twitter name placed on the vehicle. The finished painted vehicle will be featured in a thank you blog post with links to everyone’s blog or business page.

Finally we would give a ride to two lucky donors and their pets to Blog Paws 2012. Who are along our route which will be Interstate 80 from Western Pennsylvania to the hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah and back.

Once at Blog Paws another photo will be taken with those attending and the supported vehicle.

Thank you for your support.

 

and as always have a Chittering Good Day,

 

Jo

Brushing Your Ferret’s Teeth

The top dental issues for ferrets are periodontal disease and fractured canine teeth. Periodontal disease is easily preventable with daily brushing. While I don’t brush my boy’s teeth daily I do brush them weekly.

Brushing is easier to do when you start doing it when your ferret is still very young. It can be done when you have an older ferret but you will have to offer a lot of praise and good for their teeth treats for letting you mess with their mouths.

You will need:
Pet toothpaste I am using and the tube will last me a long time.

A toothbrush that you and your ferret are comfortable with; I use a Colgate® Wisp that I have pried the mouthwash bead out of.

You will also need a container of water and some dental treats for a reward afterwards. I use Greenies® Feline Dental Treats.

I recommend that you let your ferret out for playtime and let they run out of energy. It will make the experience more pleasant for the both of you.

Set up the area where you will be brushing their teeth. Having a table that is the ideal height and a comfortable chair for you will beneficial while you are brushing your ferret’s teeth. Put a small amount of pet toothpaste on the brush and have it next to the container of water.

Once they have run most of their excess energy off you can pick your ferret and get ready to brush. First you should run your hand along their jaw to feel for any bumps or unusual feeling areas. By doing this often you will know what your ferret’s mouth should feel like.

Now it is time to brush their teeth.

Scruffing your ferret will let you see inside their mouth without hurting them or you getting bit. Scruffing does not hurt your ferret.

Pick up the prepared toothbrush dipping it into the water and then gently start brushing the back teeth with the same motions you use on your own teeth. Look to see if there are any discolored teeth that may need looked at by your vet.

Move to the canine teeth and check to see if they are chipped or have any evidence of fractures. Such as cracks, missing enamel, or even pieces missing. Don’t forget the tiny teeth in between the canines.

This picture isn’t the best but Marcuz was a jewel to let me brush his teeth that day.

By brushing your ferret’s teeth you help to eliminate bad breath and are more aware of what their mouth looks like and will notice if a problem arises sooner than if you didn’t. You will also surprise your vet as most ferret owners don’t brush their ferret’s teeth thinking that it isn’t needed.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo