From:
ejaml@concentric.net
Date: 2001-04-21 10:07:00 UTC
Subject: Perforated Intestine
I don't know where to begin or where to start on explaining myself as
well as asking a few questions..But here goes.
Buddy did have both his adrenal glands removed over a year ago and
had been doing great until this. I will only give the most important
details.
On Easter he wasn't acting right so I seperated him from his cage
mate so I could monitor him closely in all things. He was eating,
drinking and moving around in play normally but.... when he was in
motion he was extremely hunched up. His first stool was mucusy, milky
green in color and even though he was drinking enough fluids he was
becoming dehydrated. No other symptoms. I took him in to see the
doctor and explained everything to him. I also told him I felt Buddy
had a big problem in his abdominal area. He wasn't a chewer so I
doubted it was a blockage but there was something definitely wrong.
His temp was a little over 102. Blood panel showed some elavation
with his liver and the same with his potassium, his salt was low. The
doctor was not too concerned with it all in all because his blood
counts were all in the normal range. He told me to put him on
Florinef because he probably now had Addison's Disease. He was given
fluids there and antibiotics with Flagyl sent home. I took him back
in less then 48 hours. Same symptoms but he's always been a very
slender ferret he was becoming pear shaped. I again stressed my
concern that he was eating but nothing was being passed. If all that
food was it's going in and not coming out it has to be going
"somewhere." X-rays were taken and the doctor said he saw a lot of
gas, a few areas in the tract which looked like "poop" but nothing
else. He said if he began vomiting then we would know he had a
blockage. He said "he would not open him up," Again gave him fluids
and I brought him home. Yesterday I offered him his food and he took
very little and began wrenching but did not vomit. I called the
doctor and gave him an update including his abdominal area was larger
and the only stools he passed were the size of a dime and then larger
nickel size. Around dinner time I offered him his food and he turned
away. I picked him up and his abdominal area was almost to the hard
state. I called the clinic immediately, the doctor had left for the
day. I left a message at his home on his machine. I began calling
numerous clinics and none would see a ferret. My doctor returned my
call when he got my message and met me at his clinic, X-rayed and
said he either has a blockage that didn't show or is loaded with
cancer. As soon as Buddy was opened the fluids poured out and it was
mixed with feces. A large perforation was found in his large
intestine. Digested food was before and after the large opening. The
doctor checked his whole intestinal tract and found no foreign matter
anywhere. I had not either while I was monitoring his stools. If
anyone has any questions please ask as I was in assisting the doctor
in surgery.
The questions... What could cause the intestine to perforate? If
exploratory surgery would have been done the first visit or even the
second one could he have survived? I'm not asking for a guarantee but
with what was happening to his insides it had to be so painful I
would have wanted to have prevented that from ever happening to my
little guy. Should I have insisted on surgery sooner?
We know our little ones better than anyone else. We know their up and
downs and their body language. I know I'm not one to always jump to
surgery for an answer but isn't it necessary when something is so
wrong and there is noting visual to let you know there's a big
problem? If you're wrong, yes one of your little ones had an
unnecessary surgery. But if you're right you may/could save its life
or just prevent unnecessary pain and suffering.
I should have the pathology report back the first part of the week on
the section of intestine where the perforation was found. Any
questions or insight would be helpful to me as well as others.
Sorry this was so long and thanks to those who answer.
Ann