Ichi hasn't been with this family that long and already he's sick..  He's been coughing a ton as of today, and his sides are sunken in slightly..  he's lethargic as well, and doesn't really want to move.  Yesterday he was out most of the day and bouncing, playing, fine.  His stools yesterday were normal, not thin, not green or black, not anything like that, just normal.  I haven't seen his poop yet today to see if they're the same or not or if he lacks pooing at all.  I just got home 3 hours ago. He did cough once or twice yesterday and it was loud, but not like today.

Today he's coughing, making a soft cough every once in a while.  I'm guessing that it's possibly a hairball, or he got into something, but I have no clue WHAT since this place is so baby-proof, ferret-proof, etc, that there really isn't much he could get into except his own bedding or maybe fabric..  maybe one of Ian's toys?  although those are baby toys and there's nothing that can be chewed off or come loose. 

I gave him some ferret lax, and some chicken baby food and ferretone while his "duck soup" materials are cooking (cooking a whole chicken isn't something I've ever done before, so it's weird to me..  being vegetarian and all and b/f wont' touch anything with bones in it.. also, lard is grossssss).  He's eating these things fine, while I took away his dry food for now.  I'm going to be watching him all day and if he's not improving by tonight I'm taking him in...

alright, his poo is fine, and he's definitely going.  He's eating the weird "duck soup" concoction I created, and drinking, but his "coughs" sound more like little sneezes now.  He also feels warmer than usual, and now his eyes are slightly glazed over.  I think he has a cold, not any sort of hairballs.

I'm calling the vet and seeing if I can get him in tomorrow and find out what's going on, along with antibiotics..   

/edit-  OK I got him in at 4:15pm tomorrow at the vet clinic I took him to for his shots/bloodwork/etc.  They see two ferret rescues regularly, apparently, so I rank them up there for ferrets.  The only other vet I go to that's good with ferrets is a 24/7 emergency clinic.  If it comes down to it, I'll go in there instead tonight.

I ran the shower on hot and had Ichi in the bathroom with it to help him out.  He's DEFINITELY congested..  and he drank from a water bottle for me (which is a big deal because he won't use a water bottle normally, just bowls!)  He also ate more of that chicken lard junk I made, mostly off of my finger.  He's definitely not feeling good.. it's amazing how in just one day they can go downhill so fast.  Tomorrow I go in to work at 7am, but I'll be stopping home on lunch break to feed him more of this stuff and make sure he's getting fluids, then it's off to the vet right after work.  wee!

I feel bad for him getting sick..  what's bothering me so much is that we've had a run of something at work (heck, three people called out sick one of the days, two today!) and I was hoping I didn't get it, although I did feel icky for a couple days, nothing major.  I doubt I gave it to Ichi, but who knows?  I also had company over the weekend.. bahh.. 

alright, vet went ok.  They did some x-rays to rule out any heart disease.  his lungs were clear, and his heart was fine.  They checked his throat to make sure nothing was lodged in there.  They think it's either he cut himself in his esophagus and it hurts to eat and he's coughing because of irritation, or he has a small respiratory infection. 

I have to syringe feed him some special diet they gave me, as well as the duck soup I made as long as he's eating it, and he's got some baytril as well.  I have to return in a week so they can see his progress.  Hopefully he'll be ok and this is just minor. 

I've only had him for a month, I feel horrible for him getting sick already!   The woman who runs a ferret rescue and works at this vet clinic was there and spoke with me.  She said I did the right thing and he'll be fine.   

I didn't think anyone was really reading this. 

Ichi's graduated from eating from a syringe to eating soft foods on a plate.  he still won't drink whether it's in a water bottle or bowl, though, so I still have to force that on him.  He gets meds twice a day still and he goes back in for a vet checkup on Thursday...  Hopefully he'll be better by then.  He still sounds TERRIBLE when he coughs! 

Well, he picked the right house to have the flu in.........

I'm sure you're babying him appropriately; he'll be fine once he shakes the bug.  Keep us posted!

Today while he was out, I caught him munching on the cat's food (innova, I mix it in with his ferret food anyway)!!  He dragged the cat's waterbowl across the kitchen floor, but didn't drink from it.  He also didn't play much again, but he is moving around rather than finding a nice place under the couch and hiding there for hours on end..  I'm happy he's eating dry food on his own, but he's not touching it while in his cage.  Maybe he's associating his cage with sleep and being out of it with eat/play?  I dont' know..

His cough still sounds bad, but it's not as frequent.  It's just very wet sounding, which is what bothered the vet and the rescuer.   As long as he's getting slowly better I'm ok..  We'll see how his vet appointment goes on Thursday.

Let us know how it goes tomorrow.

Just so you know, ferrets can get some illnesses from people...I had 10 all get sick within a couple days after a friend brought her daughter over to visit. We let the weasels run all over the house then. As she was leaving, she told us that her daughter had just gotten over the flu the day before  . Next week was a nightmare, dosing 10 ferrets with Amoxi. All made it through, but one had a stroke shortly after and another lost rear leg function...Both having been hit the hardest by the bug.

You're taking good care of Ichi. 

great..  so right now Ichi's at the vet's and they're knocking him out to shove a scope down his throat.  If it comes down to it, they want to send in a swab to a lab.  that'll cost about 350 on top of the scope which'll run 150.   Ichi needs to stop costing so much for this mysterious problem!! 

the PLUS side is that he's gained a little weight!  Hopefully they see what it is with the scope because I really don't want to have to send in a swab to the lab to find out he has a mass in there or something..

 Poor Ichi being such a bugger! I hate that he's still not feeling well, though I'm glad to hear he's gained some weight. Keep us posted!

I'm so glad he's ok!!

Yeaaa!!!

Hooray!  Glad he's feeling better!