From:
Danee DeVore
Date: 2001-11-25 03:33:00 UTC
Subject: Re: weird claw growth rate question, and apparent IBD
update on Scooter
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., Sukie Crandall <sukiecrandall@t...>
wrote:
>
> --
> Scooter had a down-turn with his apparent IBD so he's just this week
> been started on Imuran; we'll see how he does. Today he's perkier.
>
> Also, has anyone seen the claws grow faster with this disease?
> Scooter's claws have been growing at an astonishing rate: about
twice
> as fast as before.
Hi - I have not seen this associated with IBD, but a number of us
that have ADV+ ferrets have noticed the rapid claw growth rate with
them. I have no idea why, but of the people I correspond with, it
seems fairly common with ADV+ ferrets. My + kids needed their nails
clipped at least twice as often as the rest, until recently.
In September, I put all my ADV+ kids on Imuran, in an attempt to
lower their gammaglobulin levels. After about 5 weeks, I noticed
their claw growth rate had slowed, and now is in line with my other
furkids.
I will be having bloodwork done in the next few weeks to see if the
Imuran has helped lower the gammaglobulin levels. I was advised that
it would probably take about 3 months before there would be any
significant drop, as the half life of the gammaglobulins is fairly
long.
Danee