Message Number: SG1913 | New FHL Archives Search
From: "katharine"
Date: 2002-10-19 21:25:17 UTC
Subject: Elevated Liver and Kidney Values
To: "FerretHeathList" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <003501c277b6$05f32810$c2102cc7@D1CW2811>

Thought I would re-post this. Chester will be returning to the vet on Tues=
day for a CBC. I made a statement in the original post that I want to corr=
ect. I said that Imuran and pred should not be given together. In looking=
back at my notes, what I should have said was that pred should not be give=
n when hepatitis is present, as the liver may not tolerate it well. It was=
recommended that Proglycem be given instead. Someone wrote to me off-list=
that a well-known ferret vet has now said that Proglycem isn't all it's cr=
acked up to be. If this is correct, what else can be given for insulinoma/=
hepatitis if not pred??? She further said that this vet considers portal =
hepatitis and IBD to be precursors to lymphoma. In the FHL archives, I fou=
nd some statements by Dr. Williams that portal hepatitis to be very common =
with older ferrets and not a big cause for concern. Can anyone comment on =
this?

One other thing that I read on the ADV list today, and I've asked for clari=
fication, was a statement that vaccinations should NOT be given when Imuran=
is being taken. Further, it said that the ferret on Imuran should not eve=
n be exposed to a ferret that has been vaccinated? Can anyone comment on t=
his? If this is correct, for how long should they be separated and, for go=
odness sakes, why???

Here's my original post......
*************
My vet thought someone here might be able to provide some insight on =

this situation. =

I got Chester (and Dillon (RIP)) about two years ago through a =

wildlife rehab facility. We estimate him to be about 6 y.o. now. =

I'm almost certain that he is who brought ECE into my house. Chester =

has always been a tiny and thin little boy.

Chester had a CBC and chem panel in early August and all was fine =

except for low blood glucose. A second blood glucose test was =

run (also low) and he had insulinoma surgery in early September. I =

asked Doc to biopsy him for IBD while he was in there since I had =

long suspected he had it (very thin, runny stools, etc. and the fact =

that I thought he was an ECE carrier/victim). He removed a couple of =

visible tumors from the pancreas, biopsied for IBD, and biopsied some =

white lesions on the liver.

He was diagnosed with IBD and the liver lesions were diagnosed as =

hepatitis. He was already getting pediapred. We continued that =

(1mg/ml; 0.35 BID) and added Imuran (can't remember the strength of =

it but my vet followed Dr. Burgess' protocol) every 48 hours. I also =

switched him to Hill's Z/D but I'm not sure how much of it he's eating. =

The regular food mix is also in the cage and I never catch him eating.

Had him back at the vet last week for a fasting blood glucose and Doc =

also decided to do another CBC and chem panel. His blood glucose was =

66 (low) and he was only able to get enough blood for a chem panel. =

(I'm taking him back next week for another blood draw).

Here's where the problems come in. Below are the readings from his =

chem panel last week. Doc read me the ones that were elevated. I =

think everything else was normal. Remember that all of this was =

normal just 2 months ago.

Phosphorous 12 (N=3D 4.2-8.5)
BUN 33 (high normal)
Creatinin 1.9 (N=3D .8)
Total Protein 8.9
SAP 200 (N=3D 45)
ALT 1370 (N=3D 10-280)

Doc said these indicate liver and kidney problems. Because the =

Imuran should be kicking in by now, I am weaning him off of pred
over the next few days and will watch closely for any seizures.
If anything occurs, I will call Doc immediately, day or night.

So, what's going on?? Can anyone see what could possibly cause these =

suddenly high values???

To recap:
Insulinoma
Hepatitis
IBD
Imuran
Pediapred (being weaned from)
Hill's Z/D (other food mixture is Totally Ferret, Superior Choice, =

8in1 Ultimate)

Last night, I made him a soup with about 1 =BD cups of ground Z/D, 2 =

cups of Pedialyte, about a teaspoon of Gerber's turkey (for taste) =

and about a teaspoon of Ferretone.

Should he be switched to K/D? Or does Z/D have low enough protein? =

I am so confused and will welcome any insight into this. =

If I've left any pertinent info out, please let me know and I'll get =

it.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give.

Katharine

End of ferrethealth Digest
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