From:
FurTulsa
Date: 2001-08-05 18:49:00 UTC
Subject: HELP!
I'll try to make this as brief as possible while still
including all the important information:
Roxy is a rescue who has been in foster care for many
months... the foster home wants to adopt her but there has
been an ongoing problem with her medically.... she would gain
weight and do fine for a while, then start losing weight,
having diahrea and feel bad.... each time off to the vets....
Each time the vet would give her antibiotics, and sometimes
something to help her tummy.... each time she would get better
for a while and then it would start over.
Last time we did a slightly longer regiment of slightly
stronger meds and waited.... it always came back and she was
tentatively diagnosis with Chronic IBS.
This new crash was a wild ride....
Her foster mom said that at 7 pm Friday night Roxy was looking
and acting fine, was out being normal then took a nap.....
normal except she had the thought of "hmmm she looks like she
might be trying to lose weight again"....
By 10pm there was a crash hitting.... by midnight she was at
my house....
I spent all night Friday night up, administering treatments
and fluids in an attempt to keep her alive overnight.... she
would slightly respond, then crash again.... middle of the
night call to one of our vets and some advice on treatments
and we kept going.
Worst part is her hydration levels... I would pump about 30CCs
of fluid, only to have to run out the other end within
minutes... not sure I have ever seen a ferret totally and
completely dehydrate their entire body AND shrink for an okay
weight to a skeleton inside of 4 hours like that before....
scary.
At 5 am, foster mom had to say goodbye to her and leave....
she was convinced Roxy wouldn't live another hour and was
overstressed from dealing with a sick cat and other stuff this
week and just could not stay and watch her die.
Basically we kept up the hourly treatments and vigil until the
vet came in for her Saturday hours at 9am... spent a few hours
there, got sub-cu's, a jump start of antibiotics, meds for her
tummy and trying to figure it out.
Best we can come up with is "something" is not right in her
stomach or intestines, but still not 100% sure what.....
The plan now is to keep her alive and get her as stabalized as
possible and one day this week (which day depends on her
status) take her to one of the vets who has endoscope
equipment and we are going to go that route..... nobody
considers her a candidate for surgery but we have got to find
out why this keeps happening.
So since yesterday afternoon, the routine has been....
She is in a pet taxi, with a heating pad, set up right next to
"my" spot on the couch where I can see her constantly.
She gets a "treatment" about every two hours... sometimes
alternating, depending on her current needs.... we are doing
sub-cu's.... she still is having difficulty holding fluids...
I can sub-cu 30CC's and it barely makes a difference....
She gets the meds for her tummy and the sub-cu together...
then back to rest (and let med soak in) for about 10-15
minutes, then back out for syringe feedings... rest 10 minutes
and then another round of sub-cu's.
I am doing that routine about every 2-3 hours right now. And
then also the anitbiotics and prednisone on schedules.
NEWEST INFO 5:30 SUNDAY
I thought it was good at first when I saw her getting a belly
instead of emanciated.... but it's no longer good. She has
gotten almost 200CC's of subcu fluids in the past 30 hours,
yet never goes better then "partial dehydration".... I have
started having to FORCE syringe feed her every hour... she
won't accept or swallow on her own...
She is lethargic an un-responsive... I mean to the point that
I can give the injections and do the subcu's without holding
her still or anything... she just lays there and let's me.
The subcu fluids vanish fast but thats when I started
noticing.... 10 minutes after a subcu, the fluid is gone but
she is at same hydration level.... but her belly is bigger and
spongey feeling...
She also hasn't been having any bowel movements and very
little urine. CRAP... she still is not absorbing, not even a
subcu... it is draining into her belly and holding there!!
Just got off the phone with the vet... yes, she is now pretty
sure it is kidneys .... failing... limited in what to do here.
The current plan..... For tonight I am cutting back the
subcu's until or unless she is absorbing some... continue all
other meds and feedings and basically try to keep her alive
overnight and if possible, slightly better. She goes to the
vets first thing in the morning and we'll be doing a kidney
and organ functions look as well as glucose... with any luck
we will attempt to be able to do the endoscopy tomorrow
morning as well.
If anyone knows anything else, or any ideas I could use for
tonight or pass along to the vets, please let me know.
Susan