From:
"Lynn Siegel"
Date: 2002-12-13 18:18:50 UTC
Subject: Pred bellies & IBD Questions
To: "Ferret Health List" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <LPBBLMGAINDPLIFEALMAIENDFCAA.gypsi@atlantic.net>
Can someone please tell me exactly what a pred belly looks like & how soon
after going on pred can a ferret get it. Is it a hard tummy like if you
filled a balloon with water or is it fairly squishy perhaps like half of the
water is out of the balloon? Can a ferret get a pred belly in 2 months
after going on pred?
One of my girls "blew up" after going on pred for diagnosed IBD within 2
months & she has a hard tummy. She doesn't seem really comfortable. Two
different vets as soon as they knew she was on pred said it was from the
pred. I don't believe it but don't know what to have them check. They have
done routine checks & say there isn't anything wrong with her. She eats
mostly "duck soup" about 4 times a day. If it was fat, would her tummy be
hard or soft? Could she have gotten so fat within 2 months? I mean she
looks like she swallowed a baseball. I don't see how her skin can stretch
any farther.
She gets 0.50cc's of pred twice a day for the IBD, can it be cut down some
or should it stay the same? Would it be ok to drop a feeding of duck soup
or should she stay on it the way it is? She doesn't have much energy &
sleeps a lot. When she was diagnosed with the IBD she had a hairball that
filled her stomach, could that have anything to do with causing the IBD
perhaps by irritating it? If so, now that it has been removed will she
still have IBD or does it not ever go away? Also had her left adrenal
removed.
In another ferret, also diagnosed with IBD the vet said he only had a very
mild case of it. Is there such a thing? If it is only mild how much pred
should the ferret get? He is also getting 0.50cc's twice a day, along with
the feedings of soft food. He mostly has liquid chocolate like stools. The
vet thought he might have an ulcer & treated him for it but it didn't help.
He has never shown any other sign of an ulcer. He is a peppy active guy. I
also have one other that has the same stools but as far as I know doesn't
have IBD. Did have adrenal removal on left side.
If any of these kids need to go back to a vet I have to tell them what to
look for, or they will all again be sent back to me saying that they are
healthy, nothing is wrong with them & if there is they don't know what it
is.
Thank you in advance.
Lynn & Clan War Weasels