From:
meesh meesh
Date: 2001-09-06 22:48:00 UTC
Subject: Mighty Mouse: Update/test results/kidney failure
Well,
Seems that this past week and a half have been a
series of ups and downs..good news one day, bad the
next. Summary: biopsy reults = Acute Suppurative
Hepatitis, etiology unknown. Abdominal tap (fluid in
abdomen)cytology and culture: Non-degenerate
neutrophils 87% and few E. coli (interesting since two
years ago she had post-surgical abscessation -= also
E. coli..? on why again...it's normal in the
intestinal tract of ferrets/carnivores but totally
abnormal in the abdominal cavity. Her pulmonary edema
is gettin better but not totally resolved, and the
abdominal effusion has decreased significantly as
evidenced by better detail on abdominal radiographs
(fat help detail on x-rays, but fluids blurr them -
ultrasounds on the other hand do great with fluids -
different technology)
The really bad news is her recent bloodwork. It
shows her kidneys are seriously failiing.
she has increased phosphorus (10.xx), increased
potassium (7.xx)(despite being on lasix which normally
decreases blood potassium levels), decreased total CO2
(15) and increased BUN and creatinine (66 and 2.0) now
The good news is she doesn't know she is sick - not
today - yesterday she was acting ill again but today
she ate a full jar of baby food with no nausea (she
might have eaten more but I didn't want to push my
luck) and she's eating kibble and is active, alert,
etc. I have no idea how much time she has, if the
kidney failure could be related to the peracute
suppurative hepatits (now resolved on bloodwork), or
if her pulmonary edema could be related. The other odd
thing was her hematocrit, red blood cells and
hemoglobin were all seriously decreased (by about 33 %
and she already had anemia of chronic disease). don't
know if it's due to the biopsy, or if for the first
time she displayed what i'm told ferrets can do - have
sign. decreased HCT/PCV with anesthesia.
I know I haven't give all her bloodowrk but I wanted
to keep this simple. I certainly would be glad to give
it in another post or to anyone who wanted to see it.
Any thoughts anyone has had on ferrets with these
bloodwork changes...I really have no idea if she has
days, weeks, or longer..(doubting too long).
It's been a helluva week..I am trying to be happy
that she doens't know she's sick
(today)..unfortunatley, I am now sick. Probalby set
myself up from all the stress of the last week and a
half.
Thanks again for listening and any thoughts you may
have.
Michaela Maurice
College of Veterinary Medicine
Ohio State University
Class of 2002
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