From:
Tyra_J@msn.com
Date: 2002-09-02 02:32:08 UTC
Subject: Very Sick Ferret
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <15268648.1030933928426.JavaMail.root@scandium>
I am writting in hopes you can help me. I have a very, very, very sick ferret. She was diagnosed with ECE - green slime disease last week. We took her to the Vet on Sunday evening - emergency care - she was given fluids subcantously. She was hospitalized on Monday because she was still so dehydrated. I opted to bring her home on Tuesday as she was depressed and had stopped eating. I have been successful in feeding her with a syringe and some by spoon. She seems to be getting a little better - before she just laid there, now she can lift her head. She tries to move but is unable to. She is very, very thin, you can feel the bones in her back and ribs. Her back end is so weak she cannot move it. It is sort of a mock paryalisis, she has feeling in her hind quarters, but cannot get it to move, hence keeping her immoblized. This concerns me the most.
Is it normal for a ferret with ECE to experience this?
Other Info:
She has had two bowel movements both were thick, deep greenish black and had some little "bird seed" looking stuff at the end of it.
I have been feeding her a diet of Hill's prescription diet a/d mixed with Nutri-Cal and Pedialyte. Supplemented with Pedialyte at her feeding in leu of water.
She is on Clavamox drop 0.1ml every 12 hours
I also gave her 3 ccs of slippery elm bark. I read that some
ferrets can get ulcers as a result of ECE and that slippery elm bark would help sooth her stomach.
Is there anything else I can be doing to help her? She is so very weak.
Also - we have another ferret, but he does not seem to be
infected. They have shared living quarters for almost a year, we
have them separated due to the disease. What, if anything, do I
need to be doing for the one that does not show signs of infection.
The vet I took her too said he didn't know what else to do for her.
I need help!!