u/Interesting_Test_181

The blockage that almost killed my boy the other day. I’ve circled the blockage in the last photo. The big bubbles are the gas that was building up.

I posted a couple of days ago about my ferret suddenly becoming very sick. I wanted to share an update incase it might be helpful but also just to let everyone know how he’s doing.

It was very very touch and go - the vets thought he probably wouldn’t even make it through anaesthetic and when driving him there he was in and out of consciousness, even though I acted within 5 minutes of him throwing up.

My first vets were not so good. They didn’t see a blockage on the xray or any other issues. They suggested to keep him on fluids there overnight but I asked to be referred to a specialist and I’m very glad I did. The specialist saw a potential blockage though couldn’t say with full certainty whether it was a foreign body or a mineral deposit. They also could see that he had aspiration pneumonia. It wasn’t looking good for him at all and by this time I’d said my goodbyes 3 times. It was awful.

They suggested a few options which were CT scan, exploratory surgery, or at worst put to sleep. Since he was so close to death, I said surgery. At least if he died then he died with us trying. They took him immediately and he was in surgery 10 minutes later.

They found a huge piece of rubber, which I later discovered was the foot of a sewing machine. The next 16hrs or so he was in pretty critical condition, they couldn’t say if he’d make it.

Last night they called and said he can come home to continue being nursed and watched closely. He’s home now and he’s quickly returning to his normal self, but also on multiple medications and a semi liquid diet for now. He’s being syringe fed every couple of hours and I’m sleeping in the same room as him. His brother is very happy to have him back.

I’m so grateful he’s alive, given his condition it feels miraculous.

Hi guys. My poor ferret has had an absolutely awful morning. I noticed when I woke up that there was a little bit of clear sick on the floor, I thought it was his brother who started steroids yesterday, so I called the vets and checked in with them. But then, 30 minutes later, he (not ferret who is on steroids) started violently vomiting a white foam. As soon as I saw it I called the vets and set off straight away. He continued vomiting and honestly I thought on the car ride he was going to die. He was going in and out of consciousness, stomach concaved and shallow breathing.

He is in the vets, he has had an xray which showed nothing except some gas but she said that the gas wasn’t in the lower bowel which is a good sign. She did of course say that X-rays can’t pick up everything. 20 mins before the vomiting, I saw him go for a very normal poo and wee.

He has also had bloods & waiting on results, he’s has had subcut fluids which they continue to repeat as they can’t get an IV in at the moment. He has also had an anti sickness and pain relief. She said he seems brighter and he hasn’t been sick again. He is still at the vets and will be there as long as needed, he’s in their intensive care unit.

This is all playing out and I’m very scared he will die, I was in absolute floods of tears at the vets and could hardly speak, it was so scary.

Does anyone have any experience like this which turned out not to be a blockage? Or a blockage that didn’t show up on the X-rays? Did you have any more tests than he has had? Any input and well wishes for him appreciated. He’s only 10 months old. He was fine last night and just been in his room until this morning, he ate some egg yolk and meat before the vomiting started but was more quiet than usual. Neither of them have ever picked up anything they shouldn’t from the floor but of course I am very vigilant with making sure it’s safe.