Re:Help! Abscesses! Advice needed
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Friday, March 27, 2015 3:50 PM
Sorry, I was extremely tired last night when I typed that out. It's just so draining, I feel like I'm at the vets office every other day. Here is a more specific timeline of the events:
5 weeks ago, found a large (size of a small cherry) abscess adjacent to his anus, on the left side (if you're behind him). Took him to the vet, where they determined it was an abscess. Had it lanced the following morning and addressed to other issues. He had been slower, more lethargic, and very itchy (he's always been itchy, he won't eat anything but cat food, eggs, and supplement and it causes his skin to get dry). He was a free roam ferret, and we decided that he would have to be contained as he is getting too old to deal with the cats. They provided a supplement for his food called Sunshine Factor. Also received antibiotics and steroids.
2 weeks later, VAST improvements, eating very well, very active, still no change on skin, abscess healing well.
2 days later Lancing site completely healed, abscess is back, discovered on a Friday evening. Brought back to vet, abscess not too large, gives antibiotics, says abscess should start going down, will lance again on Monday, shouldn't rupture.
2 days later, site ruptured, clean it with peroxide as instructed, washed all bedding, etc.
1 day later, take him back to vet, vet says we don't need to drain it, completely drained, does a laser treatment on the site to help with healing. Wants to have him come back in a week later for a follow up antibiotic shot.
1 days later, Gustavo vomits (He has never vomitted, I know some ferrets eat too fast, or get hairballs, he has never had this issue) and isn't eating. Bring him back to the vet, they say his stomach is very tense, cramping, and he may have a stomach bug. While waiting to see the vet I notice blood in his ears. They determine it's an ear infection, they treat it with ear drops. They give him a shot for the cramping and to help him go potty.
That was Friday, I finally got him in for his follow up on Wednesday. They checked his ears, stomach, and the abscess site and gave him a clean bill of health, opt not to continue medications.
On Wednesday night I found another abscess on the right side of his anus, pretty small. I call, explain I don't have a lot of money until next week, is there anything we can do at home? They suggest applying a warm water compress, and if it's not gone by Saturday to come in early in the AM. Thursday night the abscess had almost tripled in size.
I brought him in this morning, they are going to lance this one too.
He has been through so much these last few weeks and I'm at a complete loss of what to do. They say he is showing great signs of improvement in overall health, skin and fur is getting better, more energy, eating more, gaining weight, etc. However he seems to keep getting these infections. And I understand treating them first is the safest thing to do, but I don't want him to be miserable (although he seems completely unaffected by all of these things except the stomach pains.
Unclejoe, thank you for your post. They normally give him anesthetic when they lance them, I worry about trying to do that while he's awake, he's a wily one.
I understand this is a very long post, I'm just so concerned and sad. I want him to be okay, but I don't know how to help him any more than bringing him to the vet.