From:
dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-04-25 23:01:00 UTC
Subject: Re: lab results---Possible kidney infection?
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Julie Cameron" <Ruesterx1@h...>
wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I recently took a 5yr old female ferret into the vet for possible
adrenal
> surgery. Lab work was done and due to the high Bun and creatinine
the vet
> said she wasn't a good surgery candidate. These are the results. I
was
> wondering if they could possibly be due to an infection rather than
> beginnings of renal failure:
>
> BUN: 50.5, Creat:2.65, TP:7.34, WBC:13.7 with 57%grans ane 43%
lymphs.
> HCT'44%
>
> Would antibiotics along with fluids be an option?
>
It is very difficult to tell in this case - there are signs of both.
A WBC of over 10,000 often indicates inflammation or infection, and a
creatinine of 2.65 is very high for a ferret. This high of a
creatinine suggests significant renal disease.
At this point, I would take a close look at a urine sample -
preferably one taken idrectly from the bladder by a needle
(cystocenteisis.) Let's look for signs of infection there - WBC's
bacteria, protein, and blood in the urine). That would suggest that
there is infection in the urinary tract, and a culture of the urine
to find exactly what anitbiotic is most appropriate can be conducted
at that point.
I would prefer to collect the sample before insituting antibiotics,
as administration of the antiiotics may obscure signs of urinary
infection. But you can start them immediately after and adjust them
to the appropriate kind and dose after the culture results come back.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM