Hello everyone~ So I've never posted on a ferret forum before, but I'm not sure where else to look to find advice for my little fuzzy, Desmond.  

So a few days ago my mom accidentally stepped on my ferret when he was playing under the sheets on the couch with my other ferret. He did a painful dook and then ran and hid on the other side of the couch. For the next two days he seemed to be in pain but nothing appeared to be broken. He just would go immediately to his sleeping spot whenever I would  let him out. Then over then period of the next two days his left leg stopped working, he had no muscle function in the leg at all. 


I took him to the vet and the vet did an x-ray and a checkup on him. No broken bones or fractures. So the vet thinks it may be nerve damage to the leg (he may have pulled away and ripped the nerves) or spinal cord damage (there's a technical name for it but I can't remember). She also said his bladder was enlarged so she was worried he may have nerve damage  causing him not to be able to urinate on his own. She gave us some medicine to help with the pain and said to keep him on bed rest for a few weeks to see if there is any improvement. 


Before was eating and drinking when I presented the food or water to him, but today he seems to be less interested in food. He is still drinking water on his own though thankfully. But his left leg seems a little weak, might be from trying to support the other leg. I also think that he may not have any muscle control in his tail either. Today he is able to urinate on his own, but unlike yesterday he is unable to make it to the corner with the news papers to urinate or anything. I've been having to clean him up every so often because of this.


I am really worried about him. He's only a year old and there is a chance he may never gain mobility in that leg again or the damage may become worse, and lastly worst case scenario... amputation. The vet said she could refer us to a neurologist to further diagnose the problem, but we already spent almost $300 already, so I don't know if I can afford more. The vet said to give him time before heading down that path though. :( 


I have put him in a cage without ramps and everything is easily accessible for him and have been playing soothing music to see if it helps him relax a little. Can anyone give me any advice on how to make his bed rest time a little more enjoyable for him? How can I get him to eat the canned A/D food the vet provided? (He refuses to let me use the syringe) Has anyone experienced anything similar? Could he possibly gain mobility again? Any advice at all please, I would kindly appreciate it. I just feel so bad for him, he was such a happy little ferret and now he faces never walking properly again.


Thanks,
Anna
 

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I have never personally dealt with a ferret with nerve damage but I know it can be a long road. It can take weeks to see improvement (and should be monitored by a vet as best you are able). It is really important to make sure Desmond is urinating. If he can not urinate a normal amount, it can become quite painful. It will also be important to make sure he stays clean, especially if he can not make it to the litter box, since urine can burn the skin if left to sit for too long. You can ask you vet about physical therapy for his hind leg to try to keep him muscles "active" and not allow them to breakdown while you see if the sensation will return. Usually this involves some sort of passive, gentle movements (do not force anything and stay within a normal range of motion, kind of a gentle riding-a-bike motion). Did the vet mention if he still can feel pain? Is he self-injuring the leg? You can also build him a DIY cart to help him get around during playtime. http://www.instructables.com/id/The-FerretMobile-DIY-Ferret-Wheelchair/ You can try putting some ferretone on the AD or grinding up his regular kibble and sprinkling it on top. I hope that helps at least a little bit. I am sorry I dont have any more information since I havent dealt with this situation.

Sorry that all smooshed together. It wont let me edit.