# Ferret jumped from first floor window!!!!



## Stefx (Sep 29, 2012)

Completely my fault, I didn't lock their window and my girl must have gotten out last night. I'm very, very lucky as I found her cold and scared in my front porch this morning. 
The only thing I could see wrong is a limp. As the day has gone on this awful dark bruising has come up at the top, inside of her back leg/next to her belly. I've followed her leg bone with my finger and can't feel any breaks. Nor does she seem bothered by me investigating but she isn't using it at all. It's not dragging but she's just not moving it. I've caged her as the vets aren't open until Monday morning now and she will still run about with her leg like this.
Does anyone have any advice? What I should be checking for? Can I give her anything to help with the pain? Could it be possible she has lost all feeling in this leg even though she remains to not let it drag?


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## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

She needs to see a vet as soon as possible, she could have internal bleeding depending on how she fell, she needs a professional to check her over, they will prescribe medication for pain.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

She definately needs to see a vet as soon as possile. Animals are generally very good at hiding pain, a crack in the bone wouldn't necessarily be able to be felt through the skin but the longer you leave it the worse the outcome could be. That isn't even mentioning the possibility of internal bleeding.


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## keziahherbert (Aug 29, 2013)

Most towns have emergency 24h vets that you can either visit or they'll send a vet to you. With something like this it's important to get them seen as others have said...they may be hardy but they can easily hide things that are serious.


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## Stefx (Sep 29, 2012)

Hello. Thank you everyone for your replies. 
I seem to have an even bigger problem than I first thought. 
My girl had her X-ray and has a fractured femur bone but I am being turned away vet after vet as each is refusing to do it. I'm glad they're being honest rather than taking on work that is beyond them but I don't know what to do now. They haven't recommended me to anyone. Plus the fees are in the £1000's, that's another issue on its own. 
I seem to be reaching dead end after dead end with just trying to get advice alone. 
How long can she be without surgery? What would happen if she didn't have surgery? Does anyone know of any specialists close to Kent or the south of England? Can any charities help me with any costs whatsoever? I've tried pdsa and RSPCA. 
The vet offered amputation for a smaller fee but I just cannot do that. 
If she makes it through this ordeal can anyone recommend any ferret insurers?


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## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

if she has a fracture she may need it fixing or you risk letting it set its self (if she has pain killers) and see how she deals with it, moves the leg. what did the vets say about her other then her leg? they seem to of went OTT on the bill if all she has had is an x ray. I would question the bill if she was mine. How old is the ferret in question? what did the vets actually say.


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## Stefx (Sep 29, 2012)

The X-ray was £100 but the vets quoted me at least £1500 for the pin as its in such an awkward place, well the receptionist. Then later got back to me to say none of the vets are willing to do the op. They then passed on the X-ray to the other local vets and none of them have accepted. 
I spoke to a lady who runs a ferret rescue who said that amputation may be the best choice and she's seen plenty of 3 legged ferrets who cope well. 
The vets didn't say anything else was wrong with her. Her exact words were "it's fractured right through just above the join." Surely a fracture right through is a break? Or does it mean its shattered? She's not dragging it but she's not using it either.


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## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

It sounds broken, she would cope with 3 legs, it maybe the best thing to do. if it is broken so badly I doubt they could save it.


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## Stefx (Sep 29, 2012)

Well a bit of good news..!
The lady that runs the rescue where I got my girl also ended up being a receptionist at a vets in a local town which I discovered yesterday evening. 
Long story short, a vet there accepted. He said its not guaranteed to work but he'll do his best. And the receptionist had a word and I'm able to set up payment plans for the next couple of months. 
She's being operated on tomorrow morning so fingers crossed my poor girl can start getting better! 
Thanks everyone.


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## James Q (Jun 1, 2009)

Hope every thing goes well, let us know the out come.


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## Stefx (Sep 29, 2012)

The latest update.. 
The vet who agreed to do the surgery told me once he opened up her leg there were a lot of fragments of bone and far too many to put a pin through. He ended up stitching her muscle so it would support the broken bone more. 
She's now on baytrill and metacam and is doing well. In fact, if you didn't see her stitches or limp you wouldn't know anything had happened! Apart from she's suddenly become a lot more loving! She's absolutely dying to get out of her small cage but the vet said at least 20 days for the best chances of recovery. 
He said even if it doesn't completely heal he'll be reluctant to amputate as a half functioning leg is better than no leg. Either way, I think she's going to cope really well. She's a little trooper!


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I'm really surprised that your vets refused to try and treat your girl. My vets were very honest about their lack of experience when my pygmy hedgehog needed an op but they made some calls to specialist exotic vets who advised to treat him like a small cat and they were quite happy to carry out an operation. 

a good vet is worth their weight in gold


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## Stefx (Sep 29, 2012)

Nope, no one pointed me in any direction. I was on the phone or on the Internet for hours upon hours and just came to dead ends, very frustrating. The only thing the vets were offering was amputation which was £500. Obviously I wanted that to be my last option and thank god is hasn't had to get to that yet.


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## Stefx (Sep 29, 2012)

Nearly 6 weeks on and my girl did well. A very small limp is the only reminder left!


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