From:
FerretGM@yahoo.com
Date: 2002-07-25 18:36:40 UTC
Subject: Weird Abdominal Muscle Contractions
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <16883426.1027622200131.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Mishka (6 y.o. w/adrenal & insulinoma) has been having these weird muscle contractions in his abdominal area. At first I thought that his heart was beating very very hard, but I realized the contraction was too slow (more like a human speed heart)and a little too low. It seems to be coming from the bottom of his rib cage area. This is not like when he contracts his muscles to throw up -- that's much lower and a stronger contraction. This is just like a heartbeat - it seems to be deep inside and is very regular and rhythmic. They seem to start after I give him the carafate and get stronger when he eats, then level off when he quits eating.
His sole food is baby food. He refuses to touch anything else. He does *not* have dark or tarry stools. He does not grind his teeth. He has been on pediapred 2x/d and for the past month, carafate 3x/d, 30 min before meals. Over the weekend he was down to eating only 1 1/2 jars of baby food a day, even though I was feeding him 5 times a day, at which time I got extremely worried. The vet said Monday to decrease the pediapred dose to once a day for two days and then two doses on the third day.
This is the third day since then, and he has already put down 2 whole jars of food in just his first two feedings. The muscle contractions are much less intense today than in the recent past. I am very encouraged, but I am still somewhat concerned about the contractions. Does anyone have an idea of what the contractions could be? It doesn't seem like he has an ulcer...
Melissa