From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2002-05-14 18:36:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Could this be a stroke?
STROKES:
I did a search on the FHL and here are a few of the replies I found
which will address your needs. When using the search engine just
remember that it searches in chunks so it is ESSENTIAL that a person
use the "Next " button on a regular basis.
These quotes below are in part and are from past FHL posts.
(NOTE: the quotes below ANSWER your questions rather than being quoted material to which this post replies)
>Message 11338 (esp. see last paragraph):
>The steroid resistance seen in ferret is based largely on their
>resistance to common side effects seen in other species with
>prolonged cortisone administration - most commonly development of
>gastric ulcers (although ferrets will readily develop them in
>certain stressful conditions) and atrophy of the adrenal cortex (so-
>called idiopathic Cushings). Additionally, the healing of wounds and
>incisions does not appear to be as impaired in ferrets on steroids as
>it is in other species.
>
>This is not to say that if you give steroids at a high enough level,
>or for a long enough time you can't accomplish the above, it just
>takes much higher levels than in say, a dog.
>
>Regarding hindlimb paralysis or in this case, weakness, this is a
>common problem in ferrets and can arise from a large number of
>causes. In fact, spinal cord damage only accounts for a low number
>of cases. The fact that there is no response after 4 weeks strongly
>suggests that another cause probably should be looked for at this
>time. Plus, if he has not been walking for 4 weeks, there is likely
>significnat muscle loss in his legs to make matters worse.
>
>Dexamethasone is a good steroid for acute neural damage, as it
>stabilizes membranes, and decreases acute inflammation. However, it
>is not as good as prednisone for long term maintenance.
>
>Regarding the theory of stroke - this is really not a problem in
>ferrets - stroke is most often seen in species with chronic
>cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis, such as humans and
>certain inbred species of animals, but not ferrets.
>
>With kindest regards,
>
>Bruce Williams, DVM
>
11396:
>Thrombosis is uncommon in ferrets as well, but I have seen a couple.
>The type of thrombosis that would result in loss of hindleg use is
>generally the result of cardiomyopathy, and the clot that is thrown
>impedes flow at the distal aorta (which supplies the legs.) In these
>cases, loss of hindleg function occurs within minutes to hours, legs
>become hard, swollen and cold, and no pulse is felt.
>
>Because the direction of blood flow is toward the heart in veins, it
>isn't possible for the vena cava to "throw a clot" that would affect
>the hind legs.
>
>The term cardiovascular disease simply means any disease of the heart
>or vessels. Cardiomyopathy is the most common form of cardiovascular
>disease in ferrets.
>
>I think that it is highly unlikely that the loss of hindlimb function
>that your ferret has experienced is the result of thrombosis.
>
>With kindest regards,
>> 3833:
>>To my knowledge, strokes have never been diagnosed in ferrets - nor
>>have I ever seen evidence of intracranial hemorrhages in ferrets. In
>>your post, you do not mention the results of any bloodwork that has
>>been done - as to whther a blood glucose or CBC was done, or other
>>tests that were performed to rule in or out other causes of
>>neurologic disease.
>>
>>I have misgivings about the attribution of these symptoms to a
>>condition which has never been identified in a particular species -
>>without additional testing, I fear that many more likely diagnoses
>>may have been overlooked.
>>
>>
>>With kindest regards,
>>
>>Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
>>Join the Ferret Health List at
>>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-lis
>Bruce Williams, dVM
3847 (This one was only mine and I still have a lot to learn about these.):
> >I was wondering if anyone had any information about
>>strokes in ferrets.
>
>
>Given the 9 year age of this ferret do you know if there is heart
>disease or kidney disease present? One lesson I learned is that
>thrown clots can happen from heart diseases or kidney disease, and
>sometimes they land in the brain. A thrombosis is different from
>having plaque thrown, or having a vessel blow-out (though it may look
>like them and therefore be grouped with strokes as a consideration),
>and this is yet one more reason to find and treat such diseases for
>as long as possible.
>
>Our little girl who had dilative cardiomyopathy with ventricular
>bigemini threw clots and got through some fine till her last ones
>that happened less than 24 hours apart, and we had a little boy who
>began doing the same thing (but in his case due to kidney disease)
>who suffered a major thrown clot to the brain that nearly killed him
>but despite that and despite being unconscious for a period after it
>happened he recovered with only some minor damage that affected one
>leg. He never had another one, and finally passed away from his
>kidney disease.
>
>Sometimes anticoagulants are tried; some ferrets tolerate them and some don't.
>
>Good supportive care is essential, and when recovery is happening
>then PT moves like range of motion exercises help greatly.
1683 (Dr. Bruce Williams):
>In inflammatory conditions, blood flow may be interrupted by bacteria
>or exudative processes which result in thrombosis (clotting) within
>vessels, and death of the supplied tissue.
>