Message Number: SG140 | New FHL Archives Search
From: mjanke@miamiferret.org
Date: 2002-07-06 23:37:35 UTC
Subject: RE: Spaz - sudden, unknown illness (Update)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <16680636.1025998655458.JavaMail.root@scandium>

Spaz didn't improve a lot overnight (though he was no worse) so I took him back in this morning for radiographs to see if there was anything going on.

They were rather unremarkable. A slighly enlarged spleen, which I already knew about since it has been that way for a while. Other than that, nothing out of the ordinary.

I did notice on his blood panel that his HCT was 35%. Seemed a bit low to me, though my vet didn't seem concerned as long as it didn't continue to drop. His gums seemed slighly pale, though it may be the power of suggestion. I'd say not too much different than Penny, who is not ill at all. All other values were within the normal range. Stool seems normal now in both quantity and color and same goes for urine.

I resisted, but my vet wanted me to start him on pred, at least for a few days, to see how he responds. His glucose has historically been low, but I've stayed away from pred as long as he could be kept symptom free on a high protein diet.

His appetite is OK, as long as I feed him, and he's still weak and really wants to do nothing but sleep.

We're at a loss as to what's going on.