From:
canevaro@hotmail.com
Date: 2002-08-31 14:48:42 UTC
Subject: Vet Help-diagonsis nightmare
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1485954.1030805322739.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Thanks for writing. To answer some of your questions.I never saw any back problems since a purchased him. I got him at about 6-7weeks,he always walked alittle funny. But at the time I thought it was because he was a baby and the ferret felt he was fine. As crash got older he began to hop like a bunny, but still didn't think anything was wrong. At 6 months, from one night to the next he went from hopping to crawling on his elbows. I noticed he was loosing weight and wasn't eating. I started to syringe feed him. The doctor thought it was Cancer and gave him a spinal x-ray, blood test and ADV test nothing showed up. basically since then I've had various opinions as mentioned and no diagnosis or treatment. Crash does have a broken elbow, the doctor feels it was due to the weakness. The doctor gave him a cortizone shot thursday. He seems to be hobbling around playing not sliding. Although I know the shot will not last long as the other vet I took him to tried this before.
>From: Steve Austin <kazpat1@juno.com>
>To: canevaro@hotmail.com
>Subject: diagonsis nightmare !
>Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 03:39:00 -0400
>
>I am sorry to hear this. If both front paws are showing signs
>of weakness, then it would go against a fracture or dislocation
>in one elbow. An x-ray should rule out a fracture. A ligament
>injury wouldn't be seen on an x-ray, but this is pretty rare I would
>think and still wouldn't cause weakness in both front legs.
>
>No back leg problems? It would be odd to see both front legs
>only with a viral infection, figure hit all areas equally.
>Does he have any other neurological problems? Head bobbing,
>starring, drooling, problem eating, etc?
>
>Lymphoma in a young ferret is relatively aggressive and
>may start as a weakness, sometimes a cough or just a tired
>ferret. I doubt it would be just front leg weakness, not sure
>what other cancer the vet is thinking of.
>
>Well, I hope it isn't as serious as the vet thinks, any spinal
>x-rays done? Or just the front legs?
>
>If he was born with it then I would think he would
>have the problem almost from birth. I don't remember the
>details of your first post, did you just get him? or was
>this of sudden onset the problems?
>
>I hope the vets on the list can help you.
>
>Patty
>
>On Sat, 31 Aug 2002 03:43:45 +0100 (GMT+01:00) canevaro@hotmail.com
>writes:
> > Hello everyone a wrote a few days ago, originally my vet discovered
> > after 3 opinions that my ferret crash had a broken elbow. I made the
> > appointment, dropped him off in the morning a little nervous and
> > guess what. the vet called and told me that he cannot perform the
> > surgery due to the fact that my ferret has a never seen before type
> > of neurelogical problem. (sever weakness in his front paws) He
> > conferred with a neuelogogist and he has never seen this either. I
> > was basically told that my 7 month old has only a matter of time.
> > They took blood test for a possible virus infection. overall crash
> > is a happy little guy, but it seems like his body and mind are in
> > two different places. He cannot walk very well and kind of just
> > slides around on the floor. I feel as though I'm backed in a corner.
> > At this point I've had the following possible diagnosis given to me
> > before the neurelogical one. Cancer, sprain, displacia, broken
> > elbow.
> > Dr feels crash was born with this condition. does anyone have any
> > insight? I feel so defeated at this point.
>