Hey Justin: Please update on your baby?

Question
We have a 4 year old male ferret that we feed Innova Evo food to that has recently begun to squat all the time to try and poop but to no evail.  He has had a couple of small poops but he is soo restless and just keeps trying to poop constantly!  He is not on any medication and the vet is out that sees ferrets.  What might this be?   What can I do now?  Thanks for your reply!!!

Answer
Hi again Justin:

It's a bit after 11pm and you haven't called, so I'm hoping and praying that by some miracle your little guy pooped...gosh I hope that's what has happened.  If not, I truly hope you got him to a vet in time......or at least an xray or ultrasound so they can tell you for sure what  you're dealing with and whether giving a lax is even an option. Giving a lax at this point (if he still hasn't poooped) without an xray is TOO RISKY because it can cause an intestinal rupture if the blockage is complete and has no place to move to (they can tell by the xray if it can move or not).  Anyway, since you haven't called, I'm hoping that he did poop...might as well hope for a miracle, right? *Sometimes* we get really lucky, even when it's down to life-and-death...

If this is the case and he has pooped, please still follow up tomorrow with a MINIMUM of a 3-day or 4-day hairball treatment (check almost any of my recent posts - many are about this lately because everyone's ferrets are shedding and getting symptoms of hairballs - everything from coughing, vomiting and skinny pooops). The details will be there, but it's really important that you get some LAX into your little guy immediately and frequently.  Hopefully you will be able to find Vetasyl and Uncle Jim's Duk Soup (check recipe and be SURE to follow the measured amounts really carefully or it could even cause more problems).  If you cannot find Vetasyl, use Metamucil on a 'make do' basis for this time (still get Vetasyl for later because it really does work better).  Mix 1 level teaspoon of Metamucil with six ounces of water (IF it's the no-grit fruit flavored kind - hopefully :-) OR Uncle Jim's - you should be able to find it locally; if not, use Hill's A/D Feline (canned prescription food available at any vet's office that carries prescription foods). Be sure that the six ounces of water has just enough A/D in it for flavor, but it still water-thin (and nice and WARM so he will drink it) because the Metamucil needs all the water so it can expand in his intestines, swell and move out taking the blockage with it.  WARNING: ONLY DO THIS IF HE HAS ALREADY POOPED, otherwise it will cause an intestinal rupture.  I know I said that already, but it's really really important - no 'kinda' here.  I would not lead you wrong, please trust me on that.

After you give him the Vetasyl or Metamucil, you can save enough of the A/D (better yet, get several cans - cover & refrigerate any unused portions to keep fresh) and feed him a big scoop of A/D with enough water to make it a nice gravy-thickness (WARM in microwave & stir with finger to be sure there are no hot spots before feeding it to him) "soup" at least 2 or 3 times a day.  This will help keep as little residue as possible in his bowels from food AND it will get extra fluids into him, which he is going to need to process the Vetasyl/Metamucil.  

Don't forget to SAVE all poops - hopefully by spreading them like peanut butter on a paper towel, you will see WHAT was causing the blockage and you'll hopefully also be able to see if ALL of it is out IF it's a toy or other recognizable item.  If it's a hairball of any size (whatever is in there is obviously pretty good size, but there may be more than one, even more than two or three, which is why it's important to follow with this treatment), don't expect him to pass it until AT LEAST the third or even the fourth day since he was SO stuck.  Poor little guy has had a hard time. The soup will help get his strength back too.

If by some chance you didn't get him to a vet and cannot AND he lived through the night, here are the shelter lists. It's an unthinkable option, but it IS an option that would save his life if you absolutely cannot get vet care for him. LIkely a shelter has an account with a local vet, so they would go ahead and have the surgery done.....but they would *probably* also keep him afterwards. That's why I wanted to keep that for a very "last resort" option. I know you love your little guy - but for folks when vet care really is not an option, sometimes a shelter can and will step in and save the ferret's life. Not ideal, but at least he would get vet care and live. :-(*  Who knows, maybe a really kind shelter operator could work a payment plan out with a vet for you, be a go-between, who knows what tricks they *might* have up their sleeves. Undoubtedly, they will know who the lowest price/most experienced ferret vet is and closest to you.  Here's that list just in case you do need it: (I'm just trying to cover ALL bases since I don't know your situation, so please don't take this personally, okay?):  

SHELTERS - CANADA, GERMANY, NEW ZEALAND
 * http://www.ferretfacts.com/ferret-shelter-directory-international-ferret-shelter...

SHELTERS/RESCUES - UK (ENGLAND)
* http://www.everythingferret.com/ferret_shelters.htm
* http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ferreter/ferretrescues.htm
* http://www.ferretfacts.com/ferret-shelter-directory-international-ferret-shelter...

SHELTERS/RESCUES - U.S.
* http://www.ferret.org/links/shelters.shtm
* http://www.everythingferret.com/ferret_shelters.htm
* http://groups.msn.com/Ferret/yourwebpage5.msnw
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-products.html
* http://www.ferretfacts.com/ferret-shelter-directory-us-ferret-shelters.html

So, I send this along with a prayer that your little guy is alive - and will live to see another day.  Please please do update me so I will know what happened?  If there's any way I can help, of course I will be happy to.  I will be anxiously awaiting word that your little one is okay......  Give him a hug for me?

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers
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Hi Justin:

***** U R G E N T ****** U R G E N T **** U R G E N T *****

Sounds like your little one has a full blockage going on.  If there is ANY way you can get him to an emergency vet clinic, that's what you need to do. Ferrets die of intestinal blockages every day - INTESTINAL BLOCKAGE is the number 1 killer of ferrets under the age of 2. The blockage could be the result of something he ate (piece of toy, rubber, earplug, etc) OR at four years of age, it could even be from a tumor that may have been growing in your ferret's belly for a long time and it has finally gotten large enough to completely obstruct the intestines. At any rate, it appears he is no longer to pass any stool, so the ONLY solution is either surgical removal OR a humane assistance to cross the Rainbow Bridge (euthanasia). If the blockage is not removed SOON, his intestines will probably rupture and he will die a very painful death.  A vet with xray facilities can xray and see for sure if it's cancer or a foreign object to help you make this very very difficult decision you are faced with. But you do need to make a decision and I cannot stress how much your ferret is going to suffer tonight if you don't get him veterinary help. You have *THE* ferret emergency that every ferret parent dreads the most....my heart aches for you and of course mostly for your precious little guy.  If he had a couple of small poops, that was what little "warning" you had to tell you a blockage was coming...definitely not enough; I fully understand (been there, done that). The important thing right now is to remain calm and try to make the very best decision you can for the welfare of your ferret...you are only going to get one chance at this one I'm afraid.

Please, please get this little one vet help?   Once you get him where a vet can help, they can give him a barium swallow and take xrays to see exactly where the blockage is and if it's likely a swallowed object or a tumor. Once a ferret is not moving any poops at all, the ferret is in IMMEDIATE DANGER of VERY PAINFUL DEATH.  If you do nothing, I'm sorry to say, but your ferret will likely be dead by morning.  It just breaks my heart to say that, but I feel that I do need to stress how urgent this situation is.  

Here are some lists of vets recommended by other ferret owners:

VETS CANADA:   
* http://www.ferretrescue.ca/start.php
* http://tinylink.com/?TlVyYKa6e0
* http://www.ferrets.org/Veterinarian_Listings.htm   (British Columbia)
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-vets.html
* http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/sask_ferrets/

VETS USA:
* http://www.quincyweb.net/quincy/vet.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/
* http://www.ferret-universe.com/vets/vetlist.asp
* http://www.ferretsanctuary.com/vets.shtml
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-vets.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/

VETS  UK & IRELAND:  
* http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ferreter/vetlist.htm

VET INFO/ LIST OF FERRET GROUPS/ CONTACTS IN UK, ITALY, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA, NETHERLANDS, GERMANY & DENMARK:       
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-overseas.html (scroll down page to find the one you are looking for)

VET TO VET HELP: (procedure videos & phone consultations)
* http://www.westendanimal.com   Dr. Deborrah Kemmerer *order medical procedure videos (vets)
* http://www.bradleyhills.com   Dr. Charles Weiss - *does vet to vet telephone consultations for a fee*
* http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html   Dr. Bruce Williams *pathology only* http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
* http://www.lbah.com/404.html      Long Beach Animal Hospital

Maybe you can at least locate a vet who sees ferrets NEARBY - within driving distance - and get your ferret to them? You MUST go immediately to vet help!   

I will send this to you multiple times in hopes that IF you are at your computer the multiple emails will draw your attention and you will realize how much trouble your little guy is in...he can't speak for himself, so I will try to speak for him...."HELP"!!! (Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and with him)

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers