From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-12-29 22:10:00 UTC
Subject: HELP, FERRET WITH SANDY,PLUGGING URINARY PROBLEM NEED QUICK
QUICK RESPONSE
Dear Sharon:
The most common cause of dysuria in male ferrets is prostatic disease as a
result of adrenal disease. Our belief for many years that crystals in the
urine was causing these animals not to be able to urinate was simply
incorrect. Crystalluria (sandy crystals and plugs in the urine) do
occasionally happen, but nowhere as commonly as adrenal disease will cause
this problem.
With adrenal disease, the estrogens result in the prostate swelling and
occuding the urethra as it passes through. These animals cannot voluntarily
urinate, but the bladder is easily expressed.
Differentiation of the two syndromes can be accomplished by one or more of
the following tests:
1) Evacuating the bladder. If the ferret is having trouble urinating, but
you express the bladder by hand and urine comes out easily, then it is
likely the prostate. If the urine does not come out, or only dribbles out,
urinary stones are a more likely cause.
2) Look for other symptoms of adrenal disease - hair loss, behavioral
changes such as marking or aggression. If it is still in doubt, the blood
tests available at the University of Tenn. for adrenal disease will help.
3) Do a urinalysis, to include a sediment exam. While both causes will
result in WBC's in the urine, there are usually far more in prostatic
disease, as there is often suppurative inflammation coming out of the
bladder. The sediment in prostatic disease will have numerous white blood
cells, and flakes of keratin. In urinary stones, you will see many urine.
The pH of urine in crystalluria is usually more alkaline.
It is usually best to look at several of these parameters before a decision
to do surgery is made. While a perineal urethrostomy will not hurt a ferret
with prostatic disease, it is not helpful. However, a PU is always a good
idea in ferrets with recurrent urinary crystals.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sharon Wagner" <baylorbearsw@h...>
To: <williams@E...>
Sent: Friday, December 28, 2001 12:46 AM
RESPONSE
> Hi Dr. Williams,
>
> I have been following you for several years now, and I respect your
> knowledge above anyone I know. I need your help very much. I have a 3-4
> yr.old male ferret that is having trouble urinating. It appears that he
is
> becoming blocked with a grain, sand like substance.
>
> My vet is very good with ferrets, and I know she will do her best with
him.
> Problem is we do not know what is causing this. She has had to put 3
> ferrets down because of it.
>
> She would go in and clean and drain the bladder out only to have it happen
> all over again (usually within one month)
> On one ferret she did do an urethra____ I'm sorry I forgot the name. What
> it entailed is her moving his urethra from the regular position, and
moving
> it to the back and behind some leg muscle. More or less making him a her.
>
> As far as I know it worked on this one ferret. For how long I don't know
> the person moved away with the ferret.
>
> Do you know what causes this to happen, or know of any procedure that
would
> be easier on the ferret? My vet has only done this surgery once and that
> was over 3 yrs ago. I am kind of nervous about it.
>
> The surgery will be done tomorrow around 3:00 pm central time. If you
have
> any suggestions or advice PLEASE SIR, call me at my home 979/ 775-3784 or
> call my vet: Dr. Renee Laura, 979/ 823-5495. The ferret's name is POCO
and
> he is Sharon and Steve Wagner's (me).
>
> With much gratitude and respect,
> Sharon and Steve Wagner e-mail baylorbearsw@h... also cell
phone
> 703/ 412-1011
>
>
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