Everyone went to the vets last Tuesday for a well exam and to get rabies and distemper boosters. All went well and I went to the waiting room to let at least 30 minutes pass from the last shot. I was worried about Qiuzzy and Parker as it would be their first shots. I was checking on them and there was a bit of a ruckus in the other carrier containing the fearsome foursome. I peaked in and there was blood everywhere. I started pulling ferrets out while calling, more like yelling for a nurse. One came around and grabbed Pheelia and Woozle as we could not tell who it was as both were covered in blood. 5 minutes later Dr Sheppard told me it was Woozle and that they were cleaning Pheelia off and Dr Scribano was working with Woozle. They gave him a antihistamine shot, a steroidal shot, and some oxygen. After about another hour they brought him out to me and said they would feel better having me take him home because the Largo Emergency Clinic is much better suited to take care of him if he continues to have problems. So I sat at home, with him in the small playpen watching him ever so closely. He has decided water was good and he urinated once with no blood. Vomiting stopped before we left the vets. He contemplated the food but kept turning away. I sat and waited to see if the next poo was bloody or is clean. He seemed a little disoriented and restless. I kept hoping he would settle down and rest for a bit. They had done a sonogram to see if they could see anything that would be ruptured or out of place and did not see any obvious signs of internal bleeding. No soreness or bruising of skin, so all I could do is sit next to him and be ready to fly to the E clinic at any slight sign or hint of trouble. Well at 9 PM he had another explosive poo made up up seedy poo, mucus and blood so off we went to the E-clinic Testing was PCV= 63., TP= 7.0 (can someone tell me what that is?) and BG was 143. She said to have it rechecked in the morning in case his stress was causing it to be high. He was given Sub Q fluids, liquid flagyl with chicken flavor and famotidine to settle the tummy and intestines. He has to get checked for liver failure, gastro-intestinal problems and ulcers. So after a restless night of sleep and Woozle in a small playpen next to my bed, he had improved a little. He had one more bloody poo during the night and the last two were firmer and no blood. He was drinking, but not eating. I gave him some more meds for his tummy and hopefully he would start eating. I was cleaning out the liter box, which due to the circumstances had not gotten cleaned out yesterday and found a poo in it that was tinged with blood as well as one on the paper that was also tinged. It may be that the distemper shot irritated a newly emerging health issue and brought it to light a little sooner. He went to work with me so I could keep an eye on him and I made the call to the vets to get him checked for previous listed ailments. Well after another visit with the vet, all blood levels were at normal levels, they did a sonogram and some x-rays, no rupture or injured organs. Liver function is good. His poo is getting better and there has been no further blood in his poo. He has willingly taken soup and ate a few pieces of kibble. Dr feels this was a reaction to the shot, but wants to give him a week before any other tests are done. It is great that work is pet friendly, otherwise I would have had to miss a day at work. We are a small company but their philosophy is that animals are important to people so if they are quiet and non threatening, it is better to have the employee here being productive than at home. I have been reading a lot about the pros and cons about shots. After this I may not do the distemper any more. Most states only require rabies and I do those because we travel with the ferrets. However I read an interesting article, and was desperately trying to refind it, that there is no record of ferrets, who have gotten at least one distemper shot, ever contracting distemper. Now yes I know that no scientific research has been done on this but after that reaction, I don't want it to ever happen again. I cried and cried and trying to keep myself together to drive and deal with the situation at hand was very hard. Hey everyone, thanks for all your support and prayers. Woozle still has a ways to go before being his old self again, but he seem to be well on his way. Today he ate his soup...several helpings through the day and went to the food bowl and nibbled on kibble. He is still quite lethargic but he did manage to at least attempt a protest on the flagyl today. Pheelia is keeping watch over him. She has always been the mothering type and she follows him everywhere and lays next to him giving him support. Who says animals can't sense distress or pain or feel emotions! So hopefully the improvements in health will continue and God will see fit to let me enjoy his company for a good while longer.
Tauvi
Sir Woozle
