Message Number: YG2441 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-04-10 20:10:00 UTC
Subject: Re: FW: [Ferret-Health-list] Does anyone have info on
Anemia/UPDATE PLEASE HELP!

--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Divide Home Owners Association"
<divide@s...> wrote:
>
> I have included my original message with an update. I took Oliver
to the vet
> yesterday and ran another blood panel. But let me first say that we
did
> inject Oliver with Lupron 1 week ago. We had another blood panel
run because
> my vet is going out of the country for 2 weeks and although we
realize we
> might not see a change yet, we wanted to see just the same. Oliver
has been
> eating via syringe and taking it well as well as having some of his
old
> sponk. Even the vet commented on how well Oliver looked.
Unfortunately his
> blood panel didn't seem to think the same thing. His values are
still high
> with regard to his kidney and he is still anemic (again you
wouldn't believe
> it if you saw him playing around the house). My question is, should
I be
> doing something different as far as meds, currently using
prednisone,
> baytril (last day of this), zantac. Should I push for the epigen
sp? before
> my vet leaves in 2 days. Please help!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Divide Home Owners Association [mailto:divide@s...]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 11:52 AM
> To: Ferret-Health-list@y...
> Subject: [Ferret-Health-list] Does anyone have info on Anemia
>
> My name is Deidre and I have been rescuing and adopting ferrets for
20
> years. I currently have 7, one who seems to be very sick. His name
is Oliver
> and I believe (hard to tell when you are the 3rd owner) he is
around 5 years
> old. Oliver had adrenal surgery 1 1/2 years ago and has been doing
well
> until recently. Oliver was unable to pee or poop so I took him to a
new vet
> as my vet of 15 years retired. New vet sent me home with cepha
drops for a
> bladder infection. I did state to this vet that I wondered if it
didn't have
> something to do with his adrenal gland i.e., maybe a problem with
his
> prostate, he did not think so. I took Oliver in again because while
he was
> peeing and pooping, they were small. He sent us home with baytril
stating
> this would specifically help his prostate and also gave us zantac
thinking
> his lack of eating was due to nausea. Two days later I took Oliver
to a
> small animal specialist in my valley and after blood work
discovered his was
> in kidney failure. Oliver stayed in the hospital on an IV for 3 1/2
days, I
> took him home 2 days ago. After all that the real question is, this
> specialist stated Oliver clinically looked better but didn't look
better and
> was anemic. I have been syringe feeding Oliver a mix of a/d and a
kidney
> helping type of wet food, Oliver does love to eat and is taking
this food
> quite well. He is still lathargic but I believe this is due to the
anemia.
> Is there anything I can do to help with his anemia, I love this
little
> critter and want to do whatever I can. Thank you!
>
>
Dear Deidre:

The diagnosis of kidney failure and anemia may go hand in hand, as
the kidney is the site of production of a hormone which regulates RBC
production (erythropoetin), but unfortunately without access to the
specific CBC values and values from the kidney it is difficult to
establish either the renal failure or it's possible causation of the
anemia.

EpoA (a synthetic erythropoetin) is certainly a viable option for
anemia in ferrets, however, it's use in chronic renal failure should
be tempered with the advice that it only treats one symptom of a
multifacorial organ failure.

If you can provdie the definitive values for the CBC and chronic
renal failure, it may help decide this issue. Right now, EpoA won't
hurt, but it's long-term benefits, especially in this case, require
more information.

With kindest regards,

Bruce Williams, DVM