From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2001-05-21 00:25:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Query about strokes
>I was wondering if anyone had any information about
>strokes in ferrets.
Given the 9 year age of this ferret do you know if there is heart
disease or kidney disease present? One lesson I learned is that
thrown clots can happen from heart diseases or kidney disease, and
sometimes they land in the brain. A thrombosis is different from
having plaque thrown, or having a vessel blow-out (though it may look
like them and therefore be grouped with strokes as a consideration),
and this is yet one more reason to find and treat such diseases for
as long as possible.
Our little girl who had dilative cardiomyopathy with ventricular
bigemini threw clots and got through some fine till her last ones
that happened less than 24 hours apart, and we had a little boy who
began doing the same thing (but in his case due to kidney disease)
who suffered a major thrown clot to the brain that nearly killed him
but despite that and despite being unconscious for a period after it
happened he recovered with only some minor damage that affected one
leg. He never had another one, and finally passed away from his
kidney disease.
Sometimes anticoagulants are tried; some ferrets tolerate them and some don't.
Good supportive care is essential, and when recovery is happening
then PT moves like range of motion exercises help greatly.