Did you hear the one about the ferret who ate a newt?

[Georgiesmom]

I get a call from Auntie Jen, “Can I meet her at the vet’s office as there is a very sick, surrendered ferret that she would like me to foster”?   Jen has her work cut out with many very sick ferrets already and this guy could be a danger to their already poor health.
 
This sickly ferret wheezed, sneezed, coughed and scratched throughout his first night, he had duck soup before bed with his meds and some supplements but he had a miserable first night and I feared for what I would find in the morning.  This ferret had sores around his eyes, in his ears and around his mouth; his whole head was one big mess, possibly, the sores were on his insides too.  In the morning I was met by a pair of beautiful eyes shining out of a horribly sore face but the coughing, sneezing and wheezing had abated.    

The next day I am reading the comprehensive notes that accompanied this ferret, the owner explaining that this condition had been ongoing for two years and that the owners no longer knew what to do for him.  It also mentioned that two years previously the ferret had eaten a Fire Bellied Newt!  Not knowing anything of reptiles, I Googled it (Jen with confirm that I have stalking tendencies).  Wiki informed me that should a human eat this newt they would become very sick.  I email the link to Beth who informed Dr Cheryl; the cultures confirm the presence of a marine water bacterium (I can’t spell the name of it) in the ferret.  Dr C changed the antibiotic and within a week the scabs were falling off and fur is slowly beginning to grow in their place.   We are 3 weeks into a 6 week course of Baytril but already this ferret is transformed, he is living with my gang and he seems quite happy.  I think he may lose some claws as they were very badly infected, he is gaining weight and his unpleasant odour is fading.  Apparently there could also be some liver damage but we’ll get that checked when we next see Auntie Dr Cheryl.  

My OH, who usually rolls his eyes as ferrets come and go from the house, felt so sorry for this poorly ferret that he asked me if we could keep him!  It’s not that OH doesn’t like the ferrets he just doesn’t spend as much time with them as I do, he points and asks “Who’s that then”?   I usually answer “That’s George, we’ve had him for 3 years”.   I must insist, should we keep this ferret that OH does not keep referring to him as ‘scabby guy’.  We’ll call him Arthur.  

[Georgiesmom]

This coming Thursday Arthur will end his 6 week course of Baytril and he is looking fantastic.  Just a few small sores remaining and his paws have a way to go.  I am ashamed to say I was shocked and a little repulsed when I first saw him, now he is unrecognisable as the pitiful little guy I first met.   Thankfuly his unpleasant odour has gone as well so that makes him nicer to be around. 

[Georgiesmom]

Arthur's face is lesion free at last.  I have been apply Baytril directly to the last stubborn sores (as directed by Dr Cheryl).  His extremely sensitive feet are still a bit scabby and his claws are thick and discoloured.  As I write, Arthur is taking lessons from George on how to escape the playroom, clearly Arthur is a quick learner as both of them were in the bathroom eating soap.  Earlier today the lesson was how to upturn the cat's water fountain and really make me mad!  Yelling is a waste of time, George has selective hearing (but he can hear the treat tub being opened even when he is sleeping)  and Arthur is deaf.    

[Annie]

Amazing story!  Do you have before-after pictures of Arthur?

[Georgiesmom]

I do Annie, I will post them soon. 

I am hoping Jen will post a pic of the ferret she collected as a surrender yesterday.  It turned out to be a mink!!

Jen, I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you x   

[Annie]

LOLOL     I want to see that minky ferret too!

Glad to hear you will post the pics of Arthur soon. 

[Georgiesmom]

We're still having on going issues with Arthur.  Whilst the sores on his face and body are a thing of the past his paws are much worse, at least as bad as when he first came to me.  We are applying a topical Baytril now and he still has oral Baytril (I flavour it with Strawberry syrup to make it more palatable). 

Dr Cheryl warned that this was a nasty infection and it is proving to be just that.

[Georgiesmom]

I have just returned from the vet with Arthur who is not in a good shape.
The vet took more cultures and changed his meds.  This is so frustrating because he was doing so well on the Baytril and his sores were almost healed and now this. 

[alliemackie]

Oh shoot. And things were going well! Fingers crossed that this batch of meds helps.

Such a fascinating story, little Arthur!

[Georgiesmom]

I have just collected his new meds, Teva-Sulfameth, we'll see how that goes but I know it is going to be tough on his kidneys, it will be ironic if he actually dies due to kidney failure after all this.  I'm going to try daily baths too, I am so disappointed.

[Annie]

And?  How is it going?

[Georgiesmom]

Hard to tell really.  The wounds are kind of drying up (sorry to anyone eating), previously they were a sticky, smelly mess.  The scabs have formed but there is gunk underneath.  The cultures aren't back yet and I am eagerly awaiting those.  Poor guy though, his feet are so sore he can't manage to go up the ladder in his cage.  If the sulfameth fails I don't know where we go from here.
I'm going to put his latest pictures on our facebook fan page.  

[Georgiesmom]

We really need positive thoughts and/or prayers for Arthur now, he is not doing well at all.  This past week has seen a return of very large, weeping sores on his body, face and feet.  Dr Cheryl has put this case to a panel of experts and we are hoping for some positive feedback.  One of our wonderful members works in the field of microbiologist/bacteriologist so is also offering her assistance for which I am immensely grateful.  Hopefully, someone out of this large group of talented scientists will be able to help Arthur back to his former glory.  I am struggling with seeing him in this condition and am now seriously considering having him euthanised, the scabs are so large that mobility is very difficult and painful for him.   I also have to consider the risk of cross contamination to the rest of the ferrets (4 cats and a dog)  in my home AND the 40 at the rescue where I go most days.

Kim

[alliemackie]

Fingers crossed, vibes, and prayers. He's really been through the ringer, poor bean.

[Kalimata]

I talked briefly with Dr. C today about what the bacteria was, and possible antibiotic treatments.  I'm no doctor, nor a microbiologist, which we are very happy to have as members, but hey, penicillin was discovered by accident, galvanized rubber the same thing.  15 brains are better than 14 brains right   Anyway, I'm on the mission too, and will let Dr.C and Blaze's mom know anything I find.

Kali