From:
sukieferret
Date: 2002-02-09 18:58:00 UTC
Subject: Re: ascites
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Jim & Laura Ferris" <jlferris@s...>
wrote:
> I'm so glad someone talked about ascites earlier this
week....one of my guys has that same kind of hard tummy.
----------
If it is ascites your vet will check for several things including three
common or not-too-unusual ones:
Cardiomyopathy will be checked for. The dilative form often
shows up on x-ray but then an ultrasound tells enough to
medicate to improve both quality and quantity of life. There is
also a form that doesn't always show up on x-ray but will on
ultra-sounds: hypertrophic -- and again that test will help design
how to treat it. There is some cardiomyopathy info at:
http://www.miamiferret.org
There will be blood tests to check for liver or kidney problems. A
very important thing to read is in a section (on misconceptions or
on what every vet should know - but can't get there right now to
check) within
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
which talks about ow vets that aren't used to ferret liver values
can become confused by them.
Info on these things cna also be found by using the search
engine at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list .
Hope that helps.