From:
Karen Purcell, DVM
Date: 2001-07-05 15:11:00 UTC
Subject: Re:dragging back leggs
Becky,
>
> Hershey is a 16mos. healthy happy ferret. He came to me 15 days ago dragging
> his back legs. I took him to my vet. He did x-rays and blood work. Told me
> it was probably nerve damage. Put him on prednisone and within 2 days-Hershey
> was walking. He was taken off his med. after 5 days and within 12 hours was
> dragging his legs again. My vet put him back on prednisone 3 days ago and
> Hershey is not using his legs. He has feeling in them, but can not stand on
> them. He has stopped eating on his own and I have to hand feed him. I am
> concerned when I took him off the prednisone that something happened. My vet
> had him on 1mL every 12 hours for 5 days and then just took him off. He is
> now on 1mL every 24 hours and I am to lower the dose to every other day in 2
> days. If this is nerve damage, how long does something like this take before
> I can let my Hershey out to excerise.
>
Was the nerve damage caused by disk disease, a vertebral fracture,
what? Steroids usually work well, but I've had cases that were more
like bacterial meningitis, and needed antibiotics as well. Does he
have a fever?
-Dr. Karen
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