From:
dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-02-09 21:52:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Extremely Sick Ferret - Our vet is on holidays....
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "slurpeegirlca" <shelbykimura@h...>
wrote:
> > Wednesday: Unable to move more than two steps without
collapsing.
> Expresses desire to move onto a different level of cage but doesn't
> have the strength or energy. Excrement is dark green, very close
to
> black and gooey, not solid. No desire for baby food or anything
else
> food wise, doesn't drink much water. Nose is blocked. Taken to
vet,
> who noticed poor back teeth, and ulcers on the gums around the
> teeth. Blood Glucose levels low, spends the night at hospital.
>
> Thursday: Blood Glucose levels have been recorded three times in
the
> evening (including previous day) both are abnormally low. The
final
> fourth reading is abnormally high, which the Dr. has no explanation
> for. Vet put him in an incubator to keep him warm, as he is
> seemingly shivering. He is put on something that trys to stabalize
> his BG levels, but after the full day doesn't register any
> improvements. Take a blood panel.
>
> Friday: Blood work results back. No improvement in Liquids
condition
> at all. Dr. says Liquid is urinating but that Kidneys are near
> failure, will try to 'flush' them out and monitor him for another
24
> hrs.
>
> Saturday: He is now exhibiting signs of gastric ulcer - grinding
> teeth and black, tarry feces. He is with us and we are giving him
> baby food (with Timmy's tonic and red clover). He took 3cc about
an
> hour ago, and we are just about to give him some more. We will be
> giving him Sub-Q's on a regular, frequent basis. His mouth is
> pretty tender, as his gums are very red and bloody. I would like
to
> try some Anbesol. The vet prescribed Sulcrate for the ulcers and
> antibiotics for any infection. My friend was told if he took him
> home, off the IV fluids, that it would worsen Liquid's condition
but
> again, I am not convinced...
>
> PATHOLOGIST REPORT
> Their diagnosis is severe renal azotemia with hypoglycemia high
> osmolality. They think the ferret got into antifreeze. This is
> simply not the case.
>
> He has severe dental disease and oral plaques inside his mouth,
which
> are necrotic with white plaques.
>
> I have only included the blood tests that are out of range.
> General Panel
> Hematocrit 0.389 l/l (normal: .42-.55)
> Mean Corp Hemoglobin 18 pg (normal: 13-16)
>
> Counts
> basos 0
> eos 0
> bands 0
> polys 7221 (87%)
> lymph 332 (4%)
> monos 747 (9%)
>
> Morphology
> aniso: slight
> poikilo: slight
> platelet: adequate, size variability apparent
> slight echinocytosis
>
> Chemistry Screen
> bld urea nitrogen 336 mmol/l (normal 5.9-14)
> creatinine 943 umol/l (norm: 75-156)
> sodium 161 mmol/l (140-158)
> potassium 6.3 mmol/l (4-5.7)
> calcium 1.73 mmol/l (norm:2.31-2.7)
> phosphorus 13.84 mmol/l (.92-2.15)
> alk phosphatase 19 iu/l (norm: 20-110)
> Sgpt [alt] 344 iu/l (norm: 87-340)
> gamma gt 33 iu/l (norm: 4-25)
> carbon dioxide 9 mmol/l (norm: 18-26)
> anion gap 42 (norm: 7-19)
> creatine phosphokinase 1341 iu/l (norm: 35-245)
Dear Shelby:
Needless to say, this doesn't look good. The BUN, creatinine, and
phosphorus do support a diagnosis of renal failure, and it sounds
like there is ulceration of the stomach and mouth, which also
accompanies renal failure - there is liberation of ammonia at these
sites in animals with very high BUN, and they tend to ulcerate.
The markedly increased anion gap and decreased carbon dioxide is
consistent with the acidosis seen in renal failure as well.
The hematocrit is not terribly low, so it sounds as is this has been
relatively quick. The kidney releases a compound - erythropoetin -
which is important for bone marrow production of red cells - and as
the kidney fails, production of this hormone also drops off.
Antifeeze toxicosis is an automatic mention during the wintertime, as
ingestion of this compound (which tastes sweet) can bring on lethal
renal failure in a matter of days - although ferrets really have
almost zero possibility for getting into it.
I can't tell you when it is time, but this is likely the end of a
chronic process, I'm afraid, and Liquid's time may be very short.
With kindest regards,
bruce williams, dVM