From:
dbrn2@aol.com
Date: 2001-10-10 15:15:00 UTC
Subject: PLEASE HELP BEANIE BABY!!!! STAGE 2-3 PERIANAL ULCERATION
TREATMENT SUGGESTIONS
Beanie Baby is a 3.5 year old neutered female, used to be personality
plus till multiple surgeries on July 5. She has had a lot of problems
since, the most recent of which is chronic diarrhea which has been
treated with only marginal success. She put on a ton of weight post
op, actually weight doubled, and was diagnosed 2 weeks ago with
hypothyroidism. Weight has started to go down, but about 4 weeks ago
developed stage 1-2 ulcerations of perianal area with highly defined
margin borders, which have become increasingly sunken and progressed
to stage 3 in the past few days. per vet instruction, i have been
treating her with sitz baths after most of her bm's and urinations,
and at least qd bath with soap and water to region. I was putting on
zinc oxide after all bathing activities, but she has been screaming in
pain with this treatment, so i've been increasing her torbutrol (which
she's on for other problems)to get her out of pain, and changed her
perianal ointment to a 50/50 mix of vaseline/lanacaine 3%. I'm afraid
to use lanacaine by itself because of possible absorption. the vet
says this is fine. I'm timing her bathing to coincide with maximum
pain relief from the torb.
She's been to the vet 3x in the past 6 weeks with these problems, last
time was 2 weeks ago. he's 300 miles away from me,one way, so it's
very hard on beanie baby to make this trip in her present condition.
she has absolutely 0 quality of life at this point, but this is a
temporary condition, if i am able to successfully treat her
ulceration. i called the vet's office for advice on what to do several
times now this week, and have gotten no call back. hence my reason
for asking this group for advice.
I feel like i am torturing her. I am careful to not rub her perianal
area,I use a peri bottle to clean her, and blot instead of wipe. the
big problem, as i see it, is she has a big skin fold down the crease
of her butt all the way to her vulva due to the weight gain from the
hypothyroidism. she is unable to clean that area herself, and it
doesn't get any air.
i'm a nurse and have treated hundreds of patients successfully for
decub ulcers over the past 20 years, but have no idea how to approach
this from a ferret slant, other than what i am presently doing. i
have called a vet who is closer to try and get in, but they won't take
her till next monday, which is a long time from now. her medical care
is very complicated, she's on 6 different meds at multiple times
during the day, and I need for her to see a competent vet, not anyone
who happens to be working. the one time i took her to someone else
besides my regular vet, he tried changing her meds around and dc'ing
some, and she really went downhill fast till I got her back down to
the DC area.
PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS OR HINTS YOU THINK MAY HELP. 5
DAYS IS A LONG TIME FOR BEANIE TO HAVE TO WAIT. I REALIZE THIS IS NOT
AN IMMINENTLY LIFE THREATENING CONDITION, BUT SHE IS REALLY HURTING.
My email address is dbrn2@a... Also, if you know of any vet in the
NJ area with experience in treating this, please contact me.