From:
dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-03-07 22:20:00 UTC
Subject: Re: distemper or flu ...update
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "craigkrisowen" <craigkrisowen@y...>
wrote:
>... He said since he was not getting worse and since the eye
medication
> I used helped, he did not think it was Distemper.(he didn't
actually
> see him at that time though) ... He is doing better so far. He is
not
> suffering at all. If it comes to that I would put him down
instantly
> for his sake. ....His paw pads are still
> crusty but does not appear to be getting any worse. Could that be
> from Scabies? His chin is still a little swollen but more pink than
> red now. He has rolls around his eye's like a shar-pei dog but they
> seem to be getting no worse. ...His skin is slowly returning to
normal color and he is a
> little more active but not much yet.
Dear Kristine:
I hate to harp on this one note, but I am wondering why your vet
doesn't biopsy the pads, periocular skin, or chin. The use of
antibiotics may result in temporary improvement in distemper cases,
as they support an immunesuppressed animal fight bacterial infection,
but as other people have already pointed out, this is an animal that
may be shedding virus into the environment. Each time this ferret
comes into the vet clinic, it is a potential source of infection for
other ferrets (especially kits), puppies, etc.
There have been enough signs which are consistent with the most dread
disease in ferrets to warrant more definitive diagnostics and I am at
a loss why your vet is not pursuing them more aggressively. This is
not a disease that you take a "wait and see" attitude with.
Distemper is one that you want to get that negative biopsy report
back as quickly as possible (fingers crossed.)
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM