From:
Angela Espinet
Date: 2001-11-08 15:45:00 UTC
Subject: diagnosis-megaesophagus!
Hello Debbie,
Just wanted to add that when I saw your posts I
also like Mike thought 'megaesophagus' was the likely
problem, I too replied but somehow my email went
astray!
From running the shelter in Miami, there were
several ferrets that had the same problem and really
as Carla said the liquid food fed with head raised is
the most comfortable way for the ferret to eat!
There were those ferrets that you could hear the
regurgitating at the other end of the house and
sometimes a shrill whine would fill the air almost as
if an animal was screaming, this was air escaping from
the throat! However it never failed that when the vet
examined the ferrets, they could never hear a thing
and diagnosis seemed so difficult!
I have known at least a dozen ferrets with it and
have heard of others from people that have called me
about the sypmtoms, unfortunately there doesn't seem
to be a cure, but management of the condition could
add some months or years to his life!
In answer to wasting away I do believe that Carla
gave you some good advice and you will need to feed
BRAE every 3-4 hours during the day and if he can hold
a sufficient amount down he should be able to go the
the night comfortably! Make sure his last meal before
you retire is a good one and that he has lots of fluid
to drink, in other words make his food very soupy!
You asked how long he could go on, I think you
will know when all your efforts are to no avail and
you will know what his quality of life is like, to
make the right decision about not letting him suffer!
The ones I have had with megaesophagus have had it in
varying degrees, sometimes it would seem as if it had
disappeared and then come back with full force, so
time will tell you how Brae is doing!---Angela.
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