From:
julie_fossa@yahoo.com
Date: 2002-09-16 18:54:16 UTC
Subject: Megaesophagus
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <11439458.1032202456924.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Sammy, our little male we suspect had megaesophagus, stopped eating for us last week.
Since we were not able to get his meds into him by mouth, injectable Reglan and Tagamet were substituted in hopes of getting him stabilized and able to eat again.
He was willing to lick droplets of water from the side of Kathy's bathtub or the shelter sink, and even occasionally would reach up to catch drips from the faucet. Even these small amounts would often come back up.
During the last week, Sammy would not even take Ferretvite, and even the Ferretone licked from his tummy when we weigh him, was rapidly returned. His food was viewed as poison, and he would bolt from your arms, if you weren't prepared. More than one jar of food went flying.
During the 8 weeks since I suspected Sammy was a Megaesophagus Kid, his weight went from 1 pound 11 ounces up to 3 pounds 2 ounces, if I recall correctly. He grew in a new coat following his adrenal surgery, and was just going into a new coat change. He was an active, happy ferret. Today, he weighed 2 pounds, 6 ounces. To look at him, he looked like a beautiful, healthy ferret.
Over the weekend, he became very restless, bordering on frantic. He was nauseated, would paw at his mouth, and started grinding his teeth. Sammy has been a very difficult loss.
I'll post the necropsy results, when they come back.
Julie, and foster mom, Kathy