Message Number: YG12354 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Mohr
Date: 2002-04-08 20:28:00 UTC
Subject: Re: cardiomyopathy

> if it is cardiomyopathy, how long can a ferret live with this
> condition?

As everyone has already said, it can greatly depend, but I can tell
you it is possible for a ferret to live with cardio for more than 2
years. Our Gabrielle was diagnosed in August of 1999 and is still
going strong (in fact, she's better now than when first diagnosed).
This is over 2 years and 9 months -- the vet gave us a max of six
months. Just goes to show that there are always exceptions.

Gabrielle is on a combination of enacard, digitalis, and lasix. Her
heart was clearly enlarged on x-ray, especially the left side, and
an echo and ekg confirmed the diagnosis. Once we got her on meds,
her cough went away and her heart actually healed itself and got
noticeably smaller (though it is still enlarged). (Please note that
this is *not* the norm for cardiomyopathy.) She has since had a
very successful adrenal surgery with no problems and is now
outwardly a healthy, happy little fert.

-Natasha