From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-11-07 22:07:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Arrghh!!! Frustrating AV node block problems!
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Shelley Knudsen" <ferrets@t...>
wrote:
> Again, does anyone have any ideas as to what could be causing
this? If it was by chance caused by some form of endocarditis, and
the Clavumox corrected it the first time, is it possible that because
he was only on the Clavumox for two weeks, and I stopped it right as
his heart was starting to speed up, that the infection could have
returned, if that was it? Another suggestion to me was lymphoma that
could be moving around, has anyone heard of or had any experience
with that in the heart? He is still on 3mg of prednisone a day, but
nothing else.
>
Dear Shelley:
This is such a unique case, that it is no surprise that the FHL has
given you little assistance. I can tell you that it would be very
unlikely for endocarditis a) to result in this type of rhythm
disturbance, b) to be silent on clinical pathology, without evidence
of leukocytosis, and c) not to have any echocardiographic evidence of
valvular changes, etc..
Regarding a migratory lymphoma - lymphoma doesn't really migrate - it
grows. There really should be no improvement, only a fairly rapid
weakening of the heart.
I wish that I could offer a reason why the block would have
disappeared, but I'm not sure. Rhythm disturbances can be extremely
difficult to pinpoint a cause on, even at necropsy in some cases.
Alternatively, they are also most commonly cited as causes of sudden
death, especially when no pathologic lesions are seen at necropsy.
I still believe that this will likely prove to be a case of
restrictive cardiomyopathy with fibrosis within the conduction
system, but that's just my own theory.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams