From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-04-22 13:38:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Perforated Intestine
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., ejaml@c... wrote:
> > Generally , if there are feces in the abdomen, the prognosis is
> > very poor - at best you have a severe septic process with a mixed
> > bacterial population. One thing that I have some trouble with is
> > the fact that we have a perforation and feces in the abdomen, but
> > the bloodwork did not show any elevation in WBCs?
>
> Dr Williams,
>
> I hope this is enough information about the results of his blood
work.
>
>
> HCT = 43.4 %
> HGB = 14.8 g/dl
> MCHC = 34.1 g/dl
> WBC # 4.5 x10-9/L
>
Well, this bloodwork is within normal limits.
>
> Another thing I should have mentioned is both visits the doctor used
> a probe to scoop out a stool sample. He reached in as far as he
could
> and got nothing but a small amount of what I call mucus and he
called
> I believe "fluffing or sluffing matter?" not green in color either,
> to test for bacteria. Testing results were negative. I feel by this
> information that the perforation had not occurred yet or was vert
> tiny.
Well, now I haven't heard of anyone using a wand to get stool from
animals in a long time, and I don't know of anyone that uses one in
ferrets. An with a perforstion being the cause of death, I guess hat
I would have to wonder if this may have contributed to the
perforation. It would be interesting to see where the perforation
occurred here - small intestine, colon, or rectum.
>
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
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