From:
Marie Schatz
Date: 2002-11-19 23:29:22 UTC
Subject: Update on unknown liver problem(?)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-Id: <BBA31BC8-FC16-11D6-8873-000393AB6D96@attbi.com>
Just an update here in case it gives anyone ideas as to what may be
going on with Giesela.
Quick background. 7 yr old sprite with rear leg limp. X-ray showed
enlarged liver. Followed by another x-ray a month later where the
liver had gotten even bigger and grown a huge nodule. Biopsy didn't
show cancer despite somewhat swollen lymps behind her legs (neck lymphs
not noticeable swollen at least not to me).
So the pathologist thought that it must be cardiomyopthy causing a
blood backup causing the liver to die and regenerate. Just got off the
phone with the vet who just talked to the cardiologist who said there
is some decrease in ummm pumping (forgive me I can't think of the word)
but not enough to cause the kind of blood back up or bad enough to be
considered cardiomyopethy. She's still limping which he thinks must be
neurological rather than circulatory, her foot is sort of curled up.
Her blood work was a bit off here and there high ALKP and Crea, her
nose is pale, her GLU is on the low end of normal.
Meanwhile I decided to have Boris, my 7 yr old gib x-ray'd while she
was in getting her ultrasound. Boris has had for the last couple of
years a belly that's like holding a water balloon. Really round and
really really firm. It has always bothered me a bit but he's been fine.
The vet says his liver looks "suggestive" and he wonder's if the same
thing is also going on with him. But he also has some fluid in his
abdomen and Giesela doesn't.
So Giesela is on a low dose of Pred and Boris Furosimide (I give them
in duck soup hope thats ok).
The vet said either we wait and see or we go in and explore. If I were
70 i wouldn't want to spend the rest of my days running to and from the
hospital if I could help it. So I'm electing to wait and see.
Any ideas please pass them on.
Mary