From:
Sonya Grable
Date: 2001-04-05 23:58:00 UTC
Subject: Vets/Others - Abdominal bloat and/or distention
Hi. I need info regarding a 1 1/2 y/o sprite who's had
intermittent bloating for several months now. She's a deaf
pet store rescue that I've had since she was 5-7 weeks. Food
allergy has been suggested/explored but there doesn't *seem*
to be any real or long-lasting connection. Although she does
seem to do better w/ out corn or wheat. She's not an
overeater. Partial blockage has been considered but her vets
don't believe there's enough evidence. Sometimes her stools
are smaller than normal in diameter but not often and not
'pencil lead'. When I first brought her home she passed quite
a bit of hair for the first few months but rarely does now. I
believe most was due to her living(?) conditions and the
massive stress she was under at the time. I give hairball
remedy twice a week; more often if needed, more often during
shedding season. A barium study done in May 2000 didn't reveal
anything other than slow emptying into the stomach. Several
fecals and cultures, USG and urine cultures have all been (-).
Several x-rays *may* have indicated fat or gas but "not enough
to be certain" and "maybe some fluid but not certain" Never
had/exhibited signs of ECE. Blood sample to United tested (-)
for ADV.
CURRENT/ONGOING ((*) denotes o/going): *Excessive sleeping.
*Intermittent bloat/distention in the abdominal area. (Not
certain if gas, fat, fluid or a combination. Sometimes the
skin is very 'tight'. Sometimes her whole body is not 'loose'
and slinky as it should be.). *Fat in lower abdomen/hind leg
area. *Intermittent 'expansion' of chest/rib area (a bit less
frequent now). *Intermittent swelling on both sides of neck
(rarely the throat; less pronounced when is). *Cold feet at
times. Stuffy/congested sounding nose while sleeping & when
first wakes. *Lethargic at times. *Sometimes not drinking
enough on own. Sometimes teats and the skin directly under &
around are red; other times are rough (hard) and red. There's
no pattern (i.e. all on one side, every other) to it and it's
not from scraping/rubbing while climbing in/out of drawers,
etc. Stools are currently olive to dk. green, sometimes khaki
tan, mostly formed (again, not ECE green). February labs
(globulin not tested) were normal. March: fecal and USG both
okay. Labs repeated; all normal except those listed below:
Based on small mammal profile: Phosphorus...3.8 (L) rr:
4.2-8.5 / Chloride...114 (H) rr: 90-110 / Globulin...2.6 (L)
rr: 2.9-4.9 / CPK...80 rr: none given / Monocytes...6 (H) rr:
8-3 Absolutes...270 / Eosinophils...4 (H) rr: 0-1
Absolutes...180 / PCV/HCT...60 rr: 43-55. Note: Heterophils
were measured so I don't know how this may affect certain
other counts.
HISTORY (in addition to the current/ongoing previously
listed): In the beginning she 'coughed' and had violent
sneezes. Both fewer and farther between now. Excessive
itching, litter box confusion & biting human males in
household (all are better now). Tested (-) for adrenal in Aug
2000 & Mar 2001. She's been treated for GI symptoms (none
diagnosed via biopsy) at *different* times with Baytril,
Chloramphenicol, a sulfa based drug, and Prednisolone. She's
never tested (+) for any parasites. Tested (+) for yeast via
culture (not Giardia) and treated w/ Nystatin... Have since
learned about yeast being mistaken for Giardia and vice versa.
Treated twice in 2000 for possible Helicobacter. First, with
Amoxi/Metro/Pepto, then Amoxi/Biaxin/Pepto a month or so
later. Carafate as needed, both times. "Slight" enlargement of
the heart has been mentioned more than once based on x-rays.
First ultrasound was May 2000 (after barium study). No
abnormalities found in the pancreatic region, however, the
comment portion reads: 'slightly large, slightly saponified(?)
fat'. ECG and printout normal. Last ultrasound was February
2001. Everything looked okay except the right side of the
heart, which appeared to be enlarged. Described as "possible"
enlargement. Also, areas of the spleen were both hyper &
hypoechoic. No measurement/printout. Treated briefly in the
past w/ Lasix while bloated but no real response. Consistently
elevated CREA but normal BUN ("off" labs/dates below). Calcium
"dangerously" low for a few months. Treated w/ NeoCalGlucon.
Rough, dry, rear foot pads - mostly the inner edges (not
litter related). I know of another ferret who had this but it
went away after two, separate Ivermectin injections. Would
this be a good idea in this situation? In the past, stools
have ranged from normal to lt. gray, lt. tan & pasty, and the
above mentioned olive tones. Rarely yellow and/or seedy.
Occasional mucous. Sometimes loose. "Off" labs/dates below:
4/6/00 RBC...5.7 (L) rr: 6.5-11.0 / HGB...10.2 (L) rr:
15.0-19.0 / PCV...32 (L) rr: 43-55 / ALKP...57 (H) rr: 15-45 /
TP...5.1 (L) rr: 5.5-7.6 / CREA...1.7 (H) rr: 0.1-0.4 /
GLU...144 (H) rr: 80-120 / Potassium...3.7 (L) rr: 4.3-5.8 /
Chloride...111 (H) rr: 90-110 / Glob...1.7 (L) rr: 2.9-4.9 /
CPK...140 no reference range given.
8/14/00 AST...245 (H) rr: 46-118 / TP...6.5 (H) rr: 4.3-6.0 /
CREA...1.0 rr: 0.4-0.9 / GLU...70 rr: 120-144 / Ca...7.5 (L)
rr: 7.6-9.6 / WBC...8.6 (H) rr: 3.5-7.0 / NEUTROPHIL SEG...65
(H) rr: 31-57 ABSOLUTE...5590 / MONOCYTES...3 (H) rr: 0-1
ABSOLUTE... 258 / EOSINOPHIL...6 (H) rr: 0-1 ABSOLUTE...516.
USG...1.022; slightly hazy. Stool sample (-). No
Campylobacter.
9/18/00 Results based on small mammal profile. AST...69 (L)
rr: 189-388 / GLU...39 (L) rr: 120-144 **later verified
in-house as 139** / Ca...4.8 (L) rr: 7.6-9.6 /
PHOSPHORUS...2.7 (L) rr: 3.2-9.5 / LYMPHOCYTES...76 (H) rr:
22-48 ABSOLUTE...3800 / EOSINOPHIL...3 (H) rr: 0-1
ABSOLUTE...150. Heterophils were measured so I don't know how
this may affect other counts.
10/21/00 AST...174 (H) rr: 46-118 / CREA...1.5 (H) rr: 0.4-0.9
results verified by repeat analysis / GLU...54 rr: 120-144 /
HGB...18.8 rr: 12-18 / NEUTROPHIL SEG...90 (H) rr: 31-57
ABSOLUTE...6300 / LYMPHOCYTES...6 (L) rr: 22-48 ABSOLUTE...420
/ MONOCYTES...4 (H) rr: 0-1 ABSOLUTE...280. I don't know why,
but for some reason Eosinophils were not tested/reported this
time.
11/9/00 ALKP...90 rr: 9-84 / CREA...2.42 rr: 0.40-0.90 /
GLOB...3.50 rr: 1.80-3.10 / Cl...126.8 rr: 106.0-125.0.
11/20/00 BUN / Ca / CREA within normal range. UA/UC (-). No
abnormal sediment. USG...1.024 & 1.004 (more dilute sample).
Heartworm (-).
12/11/00 BUN & CREA tested; same sample sent to two different
labs. CREA...1.5 (H) rr: 0.4-0.9. Second result: CREA...0.5
(H) rr: 0.1-0.4.
2/13/01 TBIL...1.30 rr: 0.10-1.00.
I'm worried because she's gotten quite large, is sleeping
longer & more often and seems more lethargic over the past two
to three days. Appetite's about the same (maybe a slight
decrease), stools are about the same. She's started digging at
the skin on my arm, trying to bite it (not to hurt), and
pulling her head up really high like she's trying to pull the
hair out, even when she doesn't have any in her teeth. One of
our vets just placed her on Amoxi/Metro again. There is no
indication of ulcers at this time.
Please... any information will be greatly appreciated. My
sincere apologies for not being able to keep it short.
Thanks.
Sonya