From:
zus888@netzero.net
Date: 2001-05-05 13:02:00 UTC
Subject: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) relapse
Zinc was diagnosed with IBD several months ago and has been on
Pediapred (0.3 ml 2x daily) and Imuran (sp?)(0.1 ml every other
day). She was really improving. Her diarrhea had disappeared and it
was obvious that she was feeling better. All her old (bad) habits
returned (I hadn't even noticed them missing until they returned. I
thought that she was just getting to be a well-behaved ferret.) I
suppose she was feeling sick before the symptoms became obvious,
since her normal behaviors disappeared months before the diarrhea
occured.
A family situation took me and my husband away from home. The
ferrets were taken back to their foster mom (the rescue) to stay
while we were away. Within 3 to 4 days, Zinc began having diarrhea
again. All of the sudden, she decided she hated the pediapred too
(she used to think it was a treat). She continued to have diarrhea
for about 2 weeks after our return home. She is now back to having
more normal looking stools. Is this something that we will have to
contend with from here on out? Based on her health prior to our
leaving, the vet had intended to begin weaning her off the
medication. Now, we have a setback. I am now wondering if we should
keep her on the medication for the rest of her life. Does anyone
here have any experience with the long-term use of these
medications? How can I prevent stressing her out and having another
relapse? How can I ensure her good health? Is it better to take
her on and off these medications or to just keep her on them
forever? I will talk to my vet about this, but would like some
information from anyone with experience with IBD relapses. Is it
possible that she has irritable bowel syndrome? Surely, after 2-3
months on pediapred, she can't still have inflammation of the bowel,
can she?
And, last, why would she all of the sudden hate pediapred, when she
used to love it? She still hates it. What is going on here?
Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.
Suzanna Donahue