From:
dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-01-29 16:38:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Fluid in the lungs...or around the lungs
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., arobbin@s... wrote:
>
>
> I had a young ferret once who had fluid around his lungs upon his
return from
> hospitalization. His lungs could not expand...what I was told by a
doctor (not
> vet) that sometimes if people are pumped with too much fluid it
builds up
> around the lungs, hence causing breathing problems...
>
> Has anyone else had an experience like this?
Dear Amy:
Fluid backup in or around the lungs in ferrets is most comonly the
result of heart failure and the heart's inability to keep up with the
blood coming to it. It has to go somewhere, like when a toilet backs
up. In animals, it most commonly shows up in the abdomen, but around
the lungs or in the lungs is also a common place.
While it could conceivably occur with too much fluid - that is very
uncommon - the kindeys are quite adept in moving it out of the body.
You would either also have to have severely failing kindeys, or
damage to the vessels in the lungs on top of the overadministration
of fluids. And I think the fluids would probalby have to be given
IV - I have never heard of a ferret drowing from inudicious use of SQ
fluids....
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM