From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-04-03 19:06:00 UTC
Subject: Re: could this be neurological?
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., NanPelati@a... wrote:
> I have a problem with my 5 year old female ferret, Zoey. She
occasionally
> stumbles around to one side (not always the same side), unable to
stand up
> straight or focus on a task. Sometimes it is followed by vomiting,
sometimes
> she has a small cough.
> Sometimes her head tilts to one side, too, and she can't lift it up
for an
> hour. Her blood sugar tested normal although it seems that when
she is given
> nutrical or karo syrup (for an emergency) she feels a bit better.
It takes a
> few hours for her to feel better and stand up straight - sometimes
she needs
> to be rushed in for fluids. She doesn't have all the symptoms for
vestibular
> disease and although it appears like she's had a stroke during this
time -
> she has all use of her legs and other bodily functions. My vet has
suggested
> an MRI next but I don't like to anesthetize her. Has anyone ever
seen this?
Unfortunately, this is an amalgam of symptoms which do not have a
clear thread. I think that we need to see the result of any
bloodwork to see if anything points to one system or another. Head
tilts occasionally suggest neurologic conditions, but they are
usually consistent. Ferrets do not develop strokes - this is a
common fallacy.
I have to admit I am a bit puzzled - not insulinoma, but improves
with Karo syrup. Acts like she has a stroke but has complete control
of legs and body function.
While radiographic exam may be in the future, I think I'd like to
have the blood results first.
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
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