Message Number: SG375 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Ferrethealer@aol.com
Date: 2002-07-19 01:23:40 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Digest 19 Jul 2002 00:56:13 -0000 Issue 25
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <153.110cd222.2a68c41c@aol.com>

In a message dated 07/18/02 8:56:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
ferrethealth-digest-help@smartgroups.com writes:

> A friend of mine called me yesterday and she is very worried about one her
> ferrets, Elwood. He has scabs all over his body and is crusty around the
> mouth. He also has swollen toe pads and she said they look a bit red. He
> also has a reddish nose. She took him to a vet in Portsmouth, NH (sorry, I
> don't remember who)and he really doesn't know what it is and guessed
> lymphoscama(sp)and put him on predisone. This is what she told me. To me is
> almost sounds like an allegy? Could anyone help us out?

I would be suspicious of canine distemper in this ferret, although some of
the autoimmune diseases such as lupus could cause similar signs. Mange can
present like that, as well. If distemper has been ruled out, I would suggest
a skin scraping to look for mange mites, then a biopsy if no mites are found.

Dr. Ruth
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