From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2002-06-28 08:42:00 UTC
Subject: Many thanks for info that relates to Seven and AV Block
poss. related to insulinoma
Steve took a message from the vet and said to me, "The blood count is
high." I asked "red or white?" but he didn't know that mattered. I
suspect likely the white and she has a secondary heart infection
perhaps from pancreatitis, but don't know, so that may not be the
case.
I'd suspected that complete was likely third degree as Pam confirmed;
not a good thing to hear.
She is happy, though, and not by any means flat-out although she is tired.
She moved three tiny balls with bells in them around this morning.
They apparently belong behind the toilet in the master bathroom which
is now her room.
She has newspaper for her toilet rather than even a ramp sided or low
sided pot to protect her stitches and to remove any climbing stress
-- a good post-surgical thing to do, anyway.
Her appetite and thirst are perfect, and she is moving waste fine.
Bruising is of a normal level for post-surgical days.
Temperature is fine.
Hoping this can be controlled and at some point reversed, because it
is marked and dangerous otherwise. More tests coming up next week,
so we'll know more then.
We do realize that a complete heart block has the least chance of survival, that heart output can be low enough to starve other organs and that her chances of surival are low.
As i recall there was only one pacemaker successfully put into a ferret, and I seem to recall that was a large male who was done by Dr. Debbie Kemmerer, but Seven is an adult of unknown age who is at least 5 years and is a narrow-chested 1# 10 ounce female who looks larger than she is due to a lush coat.