From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2002-09-07 01:53:10 UTC
Subject: Re: abdomin fluid build up
To: vivianwahl@aol.com, ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-Id: <p05111703b99f09e230ca@[10.0.1.31]>
okay, i am not a vet, but have been through these things several times over.
Abdominal Fluid: Common causes include but are not limited to
cardiomyopathy (a terminal form of heart disease that be managed for
quite a good time in many of them if not caught really late), liver
illness (with treatment depending on type), kidney disease (ditto),
and lymphoma/lymphosarcoma.
Coughing: Yes, the coughing could be from the tubing or from
pneumonia or another illness. It could also be from cardiomyopathy
or from fluid inteh lungs from other causes.
What to do: Test, test, test.
Standard approaches for imaging usually begin with x-ray but
sometimes we go right to ultrasound when it is obvious that will be
needed and the when the x-rays may not be useful. If there is
cardiomyopathy then a ultrasound is essential for designing the most
effective treatment approach for the given individual.
A CBC with a Chemistry Panel makes sense to check multiple things
like liver and kidney values. It wouldn't hurt as long as blood is
being pulled to also get a blood glucose reading.
Treatment would depend on what is found.
Did the vet have pathology run on the tissues removed? I certainly
hope so, and if so, it could make sense to wait to see what comes
from that first, but don't forget the idea of some of those tests
when the little one is stronger.
I think I'd ask for chest x-ray right now to look for possible
infection or for dilated cardiomyopathy. (Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
will not necessarily be found on x-ray.)