Message Number: YG354 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Dr. Bruce Williams
Date: 2001-02-27 22:53:00 UTC
Subject: Re: any ideas please

Dear Deb:

E. coli in the bladder and now prostate, eh? Well lets look at this
problem.

E.coli, the most common bacterium in feces, is also the most common
bacteria isolated from bladder infections. Bladder infections in
ferrets are most commonly seen in females, as males have a small
urethral orifice, a sheath, a longer urethra, - all of this
contributes to a lower overall UTI rate in males.

Prostates in male ferrets, however, are never seen unless the ferret
has adrenal disease, and the estrogens that are liberated from the
adrenal cause enlargement. Until we starting looking at ferrets with
adrenal disease, no one had ever seen the prostate, and several books
suggested that ferrets didn't even have one.

Ferrets with prostatic disease often have concomitant bladder
infections. My feeling is that if the prostate is indeed involved
that we are dealing with concurrent adrenal disease. Ferrets with
prostatic disease have difficulty urinating. Conversely, if there is
no adrenal disease, the prostate is playing no part in these
recurrent urinary tract infections.

Bottom line - let's look hard for adrenal disease - treat the adrenal
disease and the prostatic disease goes away, and likely the urinary
tract infection becomes amenable to treatment as well.

Oh, and you can't remove the prostate in a ferret - you would have to
split the pelvis to get it all out.


With kindest regards,

Bruce H. Williams, DVM
Join the Ferret Health List at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-
Health-list




--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "G Kelley" <gkelley0@h...> wrote:
> Hi, I just joined the list (am also a lurker on the FML). My name
is Deb Kelley and I am the current president of the Manitoba Ferret
Association in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I also run our no-kill
shelter. I am wned by 9 personal ferts and permanently foster 3 from
the shelter.
> OK, now for my question.
> One of our members dopted a ferret from us. This summer he was
diagnosed with having e-coli in his bladder. It took two regimes of
antibiotics to clear this up. He has been good for three months and
now the symptoms are back. Symptoms being pus in the urine again.
The ferret wise vet seems to think that the e-coli has infected the
prostrate. The ferret is back on a 21 day antibiotic course -
Cephalexin suspension 250 ml pr 5 ml; .5ml twice a day. Can the
ferret have his prostrate removed if the antibiotics don't work this
time? If this is going to be the norm every three months having to
be on antibiotics, is there any other options? Has anyone else dealt
with an e-coli infection of this nature? Hope someone has suggestions.
> thanks
> deb aka ferretqueen