From:
Steve Austin
Date: 2002-10-19 18:40:21 UTC
Subject: stomach ulcers and coccidia
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <2605624.1035053909635.JavaMail.nobody@chromium>
I have a problem with one of my ferrets.
Buster is about 4 years old, he started to have
diarrhea for a week with some lack of appetite,
and wasting. The vet found coccidia in his stool and did some
blood work and an x-ray because he stomach was
tender on palpation and spleen felt a little enlarged.
The x-ray I took pictures of if anyone is interested
in seeing it , which basically was
read as normal. The blood report I didn't get back,
and will get all the values on Monday. Although
his blood sugar was 60 when he was ill and
off his food.
All my ferrets were put on Bactrim once a day for
21 days for the coccidia. I bleached and cleaned
all boxes and food bowls and separated the sick one.
No one else of the 8 had diarrhea and by the end of the first
week Buster's stools were much better, he wasn't eating
so he was getting Carafate 10 minutes before his
meal and hand fed chicken or veal baby food twice daily.
Now it is the end of the 14th day, Buster is eating on his own
again, and I am still giving him the carafate and baby food
to supplement his diet. He was grinding so loud you heard
it across the room and now it is slightly noticeable and he
is playing. All his stools are normal.
He lost a lot of weight though and looks cachexic.
Yesterday one other ferret started to have diarrhea, I
am going to have the stool checked on monday.
When I go monday my questions are:
1. Buster should be on carafate for a few weeks, is it o.k.
he is back eating the ferret food since he feels so much better
and should I consider Helicobacter treatment if he is still
grinding? I can't feed him the baby food more than
twice a day on weekdays because of work, so I feel that
he won't get enough to eat if I don't let him eat the ferret
food.
2. If the second ferrets stool is positive for coccidia, since
he is on the Bactrim for 14 of the 21 days now, do I change
him and everyone else to Albon and restart the deep cleanings
and bleachings all over again?
3. For how long do I keep up
the cleanings? I figured only necessary while symptomatic.
And I cleaned with a bleach solution, all the cages were
wiped down initially- using paper towels that I threw
away after each cleaning and all boxes, and water bowls and
bottles. Then I just did the boxes every other day
and kept the one isolated to his own litter box and cage until
his diarrhea was gone. Then for the past week, since Buster
didn't have any diarrhea I stopped the thorough cleanings
and let him into the group again.
Is there a different way to clean, or better way to clean if
the stool for the other ferret is positive?
how long to isolate?
Patty
ps. I did see Buster's stool sample and it sure looked like coccidia
to me under the microscope, the vet even got out a book
with good pics in it for comparison so I am pretty sure the
initial diagnosis was accurate.