From:
ferretwoman33@yahoo.com
Date: 2002-09-13 14:36:59 UTC
Subject: Suggestions for treatment requested
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <17008917.1031927819835.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Quick overview: For several months my 5 year old ferret has been from one v=
et to another, trying to figure out why he grits his teeth *when he eats*. =
On and off he totally stops eating, having to be syringe fed for usually 2=
-3 days. Sometimes after that he would start eating again on his own, somet=
imes it would require antibiotic - sulfatrim was what he was originally put=
on.
Last week when he again stopped eating a friend suggested to rule out a flo=
ating hair ball by having a barium x-ray done. This was done, and it confi=
rmed something stuck in his stomach. An exploratory surgery was done (a we=
ek ago last Wednesday) and a hairball removed. He was put on amoxicillin j=
ust as a precaution once a day for a week. The day after surgery he was bac=
k to eating like a champ, and his stools were nice and firm. This continue=
d for two more days. Then he started to eat less every day.
By yesterday he was again not eating and gritting his teeth. I also saw hi=
m pawing at his mouth, and he was dry heaving for about 30 minutes (not con=
stantly but on and off) yesterday morning. I haven=92t seen the dry heavin=
g for over 24 hours now, but he is gritting his teeth pretty bad. I do hav=
e him on carafate 10 minutes before being syringe fed (doesn=92t seem to he=
lp at all) and pepcid ac twice a day. At first we thought perhaps he was=
sensitive to the amoxi, but it=92s been over 48 hours since he=92s been of=
f of it, and no improvement. =
Do you think maybe that hairball was in there for so long that it=92s done =
damage that is taking a while to repair itself, or perhaps even permanent d=
amage? I=92m afraid of your answer to this question.
He is at the vet right now, and I don=92t know what course of action he=92s=
going to suggest, but I am open to any ideas you guys may have. I=92m fig=
hting really hard for this guy, he has been through so much just in the pas=
t six months, and I=92m not going to give up on him! =
Thanks,
Linda =
=