….there’s no denying it’s super cool that we have the ability to see inside our patients!
In most veterinary practices we are lucky enough to have some super great radiography equipment that helps us diagnose conditions that we simply would not be able to do with just a physical check of the animal.
Why are ferret x rays so important?
Because we take X- rays so frequently it’s easy to take for granted just how amazing it is to actually be able to see inside a patient!
And seeing a ferret X- ray is no exception!
It just so happens that the x rays I want to show you today are those of my boy Bandit.
One morning I went in to do the feeds, clean the toilet area and have my morning snuggles when I noticed something wasn’t quite right with Bandit.
He tootled over to say hello but his normal springy step was followed by limp.
He was a little lame on the right fore.
I checked him over and couldn’t see any obvious injuries but he was straight in the carrier as he was coming to work with me . Smokey jumped in for moral support.
It’s always worrying for any pet owner when something isn’t quite right and I was really concerned what may be going on with that limb.
The vet checked him over and prescribed some NSAID ( non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) in the form of metacam and advised he gets some rest .
After five days he was still no better . He seemed bright and was eating and drinking as normal but the issue hadn’t gone away.
After a discussion with the vet we decided to take some radiographs.
I starved Bandit 3 hours prior to the procedure as ferrets have the ability to vomit and we wanted to avoid any aspiration . Plus hypoglycemia can be an issue if we starve ferrets for to long.
We used a little isoflurane gas until he was sleepy enough to stay still. As you can imagine ferrets aren’t particularly good at staying still at the best of times let alone to pose for some radiographs!
As one nurse monitored Bandit closely I helped the other nurse position him for the required views.
This was before I had started my veterinary nurse training and I’d never seen any x rays of a ferret before .
When I could see inside Bandit I was amazed. His anatomy was so interesting!
Luckily there was no obvious breaks or fractures so I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
You can see just how long their spine is and how well designed their short legs are for digging with those long claws.
Their body is perfect for getting in and out of small holes as it allows them to turn 180* in a confined space. Ever wondered how your ferret can go into a play tube one way and then come back out the same way…. well now you know!
Their eyes are forward facing, providing binocular vision that is well suited for detecting prey.
So back to Bandit and that lameness…..
The plan was to refer his case over to our local exotic specialist Dr. Molly Varga . In first opinion/ general practice it’s often we have to refer exotic patients on to a specialist centre.
As the vet was sure he couldn’t see any obvious injury it could be that Molly could spot something we couldn’t.
So as we waited to hear back from the referral Bandit began to show a vast improvement. The following day after his x rays he began to look more comfortable and his lameness began to subside.
The vet put it down to a soft tissue/muscular injury that had got better with the help of NSAIDs and rest .
I was over the moon he didn’t need any further treatment and I was glad I had took out insurance when they were kits.
I was able to claim back the cost of his X-rays minus the excess for the policy.
You never know when your ferret is going to need treatment.
They are so curious and mischievous you may find they end up getting themselves into trouble and need veterinary assistance in the future.
My advice would be to always be prepared and keep a close eye on your fuzzies.
Find a ferret savvy vet in your area just incase.
