From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2001-04-17 21:26:00 UTC
Subject: friable small intestine
Later this week we have vet appointment. Seven will get checked
because she might have developed problems with her other adrenal.
Hey, it happens sometimes.
Warp is more of a problem. She has again been having weight loss
(from a weight that has been low since ECE 4 years ago, and even
lower each time her older intestinal problem kicks up again), and
nausea along with foul breath. In most ferrets a person would think
"ulcer" and that's possible, but in Warp it usually means that her
small intestine is kicking up again. She has twice had it repaired
-- actually, I guess three times already; thik I ewas forgetting the
first time. It is friable and it separates on its own periodically.
She almost died in each of those two last surgeries; you can imagine
what is like for them to try to piece together tissue that sometimes
opens with new tears when they just touch it.
Usually when she begins showing the symptoms we can get her into
decent shape with a week or two of careful nursing but this time we
have gotten only below two ounces on her despite many cans of a/d
over the last couple of weeks, and it is beginning to be that
Carafate is having no effect on the nausea; that's not good. We
always have to be ready to jump fast with her; it's been that way for
years now. She needs a lot of careful monitoring and nursing, but
usually she is happy and active even if delicate.
We are leery of trying surgery on her again and doubt she'd survive
it, but it also may be that she would not survive without it.
She has also had fur loss and exhaustion; but at her downright
anorexic weight (1# 3 oz. on an individual who was at her thin best
at around 1# 11 oz.) that could be just malnutrition from poor small
intestinal function so I want to be careful to rule out whether she
may be dealing with an adrenal or with heart disease, or both, as
well.
If it is the small intestinal problem we have a history of managing
that and getting her back to having a good deal of joy in life, but
she has been less hardy each time afterward and is far from robust
now. What usually works hasn't; and the next step typically in
surgery, but...
Has anyone else here coped with a friable small intestine, or have
constructive ideas? I know it's not a common problem.
Given that this was expected to kill her years ago she's doing great,
but we are worried that she might be approaching the end of her
options for her intestine.
For those who wonder if they are placing her name: yes, she is the
small albino one one who was so incredibly fast when young, and who
went through two abusive households before coming here with huge
fears of males, and compete with coccidea about 6 and 1/2 years ago.
She's the one who trusts Steve though she will kiss him only when he
is asleep, an activity she finds exceedingly humorous.