From:
craigkrisowen
Date: 2002-03-01 22:45:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Distemper or flu with bad skin problem....
Thanks for responding. I was told by Yahoo Groups this email did
not go through because of a internal error, strange. I hope the email
didn't send more than once because I kept trying to get it to go
through. I only had him out for a minute on 2 occasions. One in plain
dirt and the other on grass in my yard on a leash both times so I can
be sure there was no poison ivy. No, My tea's do not have any
caffeine in them. I started them after he got sick to give a added
boost. My son did have a flu bug. He had a very mild case but there
is a bad strain going around where I live along with Valley Fever. I
first noticed the tiny scabby like bumps on his back a few days
before he got sick. I thought maybe my other 2 ferrets nails were to
long and scratched him. His skin looks like it has the specks of ear
mites on it. He did have ear mites and was treated in his ears but
his ears are still brown. I tried to clean them right before he got
sick but couldn't get inside the canal clean so I was going to take
him in and have the vet do it. Right after that he got sick. I could
clean the ears and the next day they were brown again, strange. They
vet listed to his insides and said his internal organs appear to be
working perfectly healthy. He has also always had perfect stools. I
have changed his food to Zupreem but that would not cause a temp of
106. I am stumped. Would one shot be enough to avoid distemper? He is
acting much better today but looks the same. I have gone to 2 vets. I
didn't start his better antibiotic from the second vet until Thursday
night. It is a broader spectrum one that should cover skin infections
I am told. Maybe it just hasn't kicked in yet.
Kris in Gilbert AZ
[Moderator's note: the problem which they encountered is the same one that we moderators have mentioned many times. Folks have to IGNORE the failure message that Yahoo gives.]
> Carefully check that area for things like poison oak or poison ivy.
> If those are there then stop the herbal immune system boosters.
> If it's a reaction then the last thing you want to do is to boost the
> very system that is contributing to it. May not be something like that but
> a check around the location would be extremely useful for
> knowing that. (Oh, and skip the caffeine in them, please...)
>
> I just pulled out reference after reference because I could not
> recall if each of those symptoms is consistent with poison ivy
> and poison oak, but couldn't find anything useful except a human
> health ref. The symptoms are consistent in humans.
>
> Urushiol is a powerful sensitizing agent. Among the possible
> symptoms for a severe exposure is renal irritiation. The kidneys
> and heart have to be watched iwth very severe exposures in
> humans. Symtpoms can include: vesiculation and generalized
> edema, itching, swelling, papulation, oozing, crusting,
> weakness, malaise, fever, etc. Urine may show protein, red
> blood cells and casts. Blood may reveal a high nonprotein
> nitrogen level.
>
> (Source: _Handbook of Poisoning_ by Robert H. Dreisbach.
>
> DO check that area just in case this may be a possible cause.
> Do not know if it is an option or not.