From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-03-11 01:14:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Ailing ferret. looking for outside help
Dear Glenn and Chuki:
That's quite a laundry list of diseases - cardiomyopathy, insulinoma,
adrenal disease, and ECE - Chuki, you are the perfect geriatric male
ferret.
Looking at the clinical chemistry, it really isn't bad. No evidence
of hepatic or renal disease, the albumin looks very good for an older
ferret who has had ECE, even the glucose looks pretty good.
Unfortunately, there is nothing here to point at.
Let's do the CBC next week, and a fecal just in case. I don't like
the poorly formed stools. AT this age, with all of the concurrent
diseases, I wouldn't expect all perfect stools, but they shouldn't be
all mush either. You must be doing a terrific job with him to keep
him going with all of these problems.
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
Join the Ferret Health List at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-
Health-list
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Glenn Johnson" <johno@c...> wrote:
> 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