From:
Glenn Johnson
Date: 2001-03-10 17:32:00 UTC
Subject: Ailing ferret. looking for outside help
Hello Ferret Friends,
My first post to this list, but I've been watching since it
began. I'm most thrilled to see so many well known
ferret-experienced vets here, being so gracious with their
time and expertise.
This post concerns my Chuki, a 7.5 yr. old neutered male with
the following history, Islet cell tumor (confirmed) removed
Dec 1998, no meds needed until Jan 2000. Then he went on .5mg
Pediapred twice a day. He did well until Oct 2000, when he
contracted ECE. The unformed, sometimes runny stools are still
there. Concurrent with that, he began to lose fur on his tail,
rump and back. He got a 4 month Lupron shot on Jan 10, 2000
and while new stubble appeared on his tail, that's all it
did...no further growth....or loss. In Feb, 2000 a radiograph
showed his heart enlarged. (from normal size on a five month
old x-ray) He's now on Digoxin and Enalapril. There are no
signs of fluid buildup. Hind leg weakness and lethargy seems
to increase by the day. He is at 45 ounces, several ounces
over his normal weight. He eats well, but poops and pees too
frequently, every two to three hours. Stools appear normal in
color and texture, but unformed. His vet can feel nothing
abnormal in his abdomen.
His vet's in-house blood work results follows. We expect to
do a CBC next week. The question is, do the following results
seem to point to anything specific?
ALB...... 3.09 g/dl
ALKP.....97 U/L....high
ALT.......253 U/L
AMYL....46 U/L
BUN......18.6 mg/dl
Ca.........8.16 mg/dl
CHOL....154.2 mg/dl
CREA....0.78 mg/dl
GLU.......83.2 mg/dl....low
PHOS....4.49 mg/dl....low
TBIL.......0.61 mg/dl
TP.........7.54 g/dl......high
GLOB....4.45 g/dl......high
Na.........161.1 mmol/l
K...........5.64 mmol/l
Cl..........120.3 mmol/l
Is there a big "tip off" here, or is it inconclusive without a
CBC?
His vet wants to "whiff" him with isoflourane to draw for a
CBC...isn't that a no no when there's heart problems?
The ferret is Chuki, his pop pop is Glenn.
Many thanks, sorry to use so much space,
Glenn and Chuki