From:
FurTulsa
Date: 2001-02-25 16:16:00 UTC
Subject: Ruptured Anus.
Some may have seen this on FML.
About a month ago, we took in "Baron"... he had some sort of
ruptured anus and internal damage. The anal opening was 1"x1"
circular protruding, with about a 1/2" "crater.
I should note: He was about 5 years old, the product on a
"backyard" breeding attempt and inbred, he and his littermate
sister have some visible deformities... just "small" things
like stub tails and deformed feet.
If you WANT to see a pic of it, it is here, but I warn it is
graphic and ugly.
http://members.home.com/furtulsa/image/BoySore.jpg
Anyway... I corresponded with Dr Williams on it, and he was
seen by two local, ferret knowledgeable vets. Bottom line, the
only consensus was that it was either an external injury or
some sort of bizarre form of cancer/tumor.
Within a week, he started have bleeding from it. Never
terrible heavy just constant... more like "leaking" but always
bright red fresh blood.
Everyone agreed there did not seem much that could be done...
he was not likely to survive any type of surgery and the cause
of the site still was a mystery.
For the past 3 weeks I have given him supplements to
counteract the blood loss and such and he remained stable,
good weight and in all other ways healthy and happy.
This past Thursday night he stopped eating and drinking on his
own and was lethargic.... we increased supplements and hand
fed and by Friday morning seemed to be doing better. But by
Friday night he was crashing again.
I sat up with him all Friday night and all day Saturday, force
feeding a supplement soup and medications and holding him. By
a feeding late Saturday he was no longer even having a swallow
reflex and I knew it was beyond hope.
I called our wonderful vet and was to meet her at the clinic
to euthanize him, when I went to go get him, he was gone. I
took him in anyway and requested a necropsy.
In those last 24 hours I noticed the "crater" of his anus had
increased in width by at least 1/2" and was thicker and
protruding further. There was also a hard lump in the wall on
one side of the crater. It also appeared that the "empty" area
on the inside was deeper.
The vet will be doing an investigation on the anus and sending
tissue samples for analysis. No matter WHAT the answer, I know
I will still wonder what else I could have done to help him.
If desired, I will be happy to post whatever information the
necropsy reveals here as well. Just offhand, does anyone have
any ideas or has ever seen anything like this?
Susan (apologizing for the length but it is so bizarre)