Lainey is poorly

[Tink]

Somethin's up with Lainey. She's been wheezing since Sat at about 8pm. Well not constantly. She's done this once before where it was like she had an "attack" and it lasted several hours. It's like sharp intakes of breath like something is caught in the back of her throat or kind of reminds me of when a ferret is about to pass a hairball.
I brought it up to my vet last time and we decided it was a fluke thing since it only happened once and some ferrets' respiratory systems are just more sensitive than others and she tends to be nosier than everyone else. The vet gave her a clean bill of health and all were satisfied.
This time it has not stopped. Of course my vet's not been open past 2pm Saturday and I do not trust our ER vet here with such a problem for a ferret so I am waiting to talk to my vet in the morning.
She isn't really playing. Kind of moping around and laying near me which is unusual for her. Sometimes she shivers. I haven't seen her eat her kibble but she's been getting soup and baby food and then again I wasn't watching very closely to her eating habits because we were crazy busy this weekend and I really thought it was just gonna be another fluke thing. So now it's almost 5am and I am on "Lainey Duty". I wanna evaluate her potties and her eating so I know exactly what's going on and when/if I need to start syringe feeding her.
If you give her tone or hairball remedy she wants it but then starts doing the sharp intakes of breath and runs away in fear. I've gotten a bit of those things down her plus soup but it is making me nervous if I have to force feed her because it seems like if you hold her chest a little too firm it irritates her into the sharp intakes of breath again.
She keeps staring at me and I keep offering her things. Baby Bear and Annie have an appointment on Thursday but I think I just might have to bring her in sooner if I can get a ride arranged.
Vet opens in several hours, I'll update in a bit. I'm gonna go sit with her now... :(
Please send good vibes for my baby that her breathing stablizes.

[angieh]

How terribly worrying for you Tink. Fingers crossed all will be well - healing vibes for Lainey and "I'm here mom" vibes for Kuan Yin.

Can ferrets stand a bit of steam? Just a thought - it's the sort of thing I've heard helps kids with croup.

[dinahsmum]

It almost sounds like an asthma attack doesn't it? 2.30pm here so I'm hoping it will soon be vet-opening time at your end and something can put your mind at rest - oh, and don't worry about that naughty cat who's found an intersting place to explore and hide from you ... meal time will bring her out, I think

[dandysmom]

Healing vibes coming; hope you can get to see the vet .

[calismum]

What a worrying time for you. I do hope that she is ok and your vet is able to get to the root of the problem.

[Tink]

Well it turns out my vet is out of town till Wednesday. However, the vet that is her partner is ferret knowledgable which I was not aware of. He says since Lainey is not acting herself he'd suggest bringing her in sooner so I've made an appointment for 9:30am tomorrow with him.

[random]

Best of luck Tink hope she's ok poor wee mite. x

[dandysmom]

I hope he'll be able to get it sorted, Tink. Keep us posted.

[Tink]

She's doin a little better right now. It's still there but she's more mobile. And everytime I tried to get a video it magically dissapeared..then came back everytime I turned the camera off.
I tried to show K last night and of course she didn't do it in front of him because he makes her nervous because she hasn't spent a lot of time with him. She ran and hid because she gets scared of people she's not familiar with (well anyone but me) and he was suggesting adrenaline could clear it up because that's what they gave him when he was a kid in the ER for asthma.
I really hope I can get a video or at least the vet will be able to tell. It'd be a shame if I went and she acted normal till we walked out.
She is able to lick up tone today no problem..last night she barely could. You could feel the congestion though as she was slurping it up. Kind of a popping feeling in her chest.
I'm gonna try all day to get a decent video.

[angieh]

It does sound a bit like asthma Tink. Hope the vet can give her something tomorrow. If there's congestion the vet will be able to tell although a video would be a helpful thing to have of course.

[pookyandjo]

Hope you does her thing for the vet tomorrow Tink... it can be a real pain when you take them and they just sit there as if to say..."nothing wrong here"...:)

[Tink]

Update-it's not serious!
Lainey has an irritated trachea and swollen lymph nodes from seasonal allergies.
The doc listened long and hard to her heart and lungs and all is clear. No fever and she hasn't lost any weight either. Since I'm gonna be there again on Thursday for Baby Bear and Annie's appointment, he said to watch her in the interim and if symptoms persist he'll prescribe an anti-inflammatory for her but for now it seems to be going away on it's own.
I was really impressed as this is not her normal doctor. Lainey decided she did not like him pressing on her throat so she nipped quicker than lightning and next thing you know blood is trickling down his hand. I apologized profusely and he laughed it off and just stepped out for a band aid so he wouldn't bleed on her, LOL. Then he proceeded to tell her how cute she was. He went to take her temperature and was like "Oh, wow I haven't seen a ferret that wasn't descented till now" hahaha...So now I know for a fact that if Dr. Monroe is out again I am comfortable with him so that is reassuring..I really do love that office.
My poor OH had to get up early to drive me and was really cranky and had an "I told you so" look on his face when we left. Yes, I'm a paranoid ferrent. Maybe I'll cook him a nice dinner tonight to make up for it.

[calismum]

So pleased the news was good.

[HappyKatz]

Happy to hear Lainey is okay! You are a great ferrent Tink! :-D

[dandysmom]

Delighted that it wasn't serious, Tink. I can imagine the smug look on K's face...hope you do fix him a lovely dinner! I didn't know that ferrets got seasonal allergies...but I didn't know cats did either until I had one who did.

And it's cool that the other vet is excellent and one you're equally comfortable with.