Message Number: YG9832 | New FHL Archives Search
From: ferretsonly
Date: 2002-01-05 00:05:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Ferret with enlarged heart

> meds like Digoxin, Enacard, and others.

My vet and I believe that the one single drug that does the most for
heart disease is Enacard. When I had my first ferret with heart
disease, it was believed by my former vet that 8 months after
diagnosis was the expected survival period. Now, many of my ferrets
are living a good quality of life for over 3.5 years with heart
disease. We just adjust the meds periodically as required. Enacard
can cause the blood pressure to drop too low so watch their activity
level for any decrease.

> One important thing to know for later as the disease progresses:
> there is now no longer an upper limit suggested for ferrets for
> Lasix.

While I agree with Sukie...

> Her x-rays showed an enlarged heart. She
> was put on Lasix, 2ml 2 times a day.

... this seems like a high dose to start unless there is a huge
amount of fluid buildup and/or coughing. If this is the standard
10mg/ml of lasix dilution, then this is 40 mg of Lasix daily! Dancing
Bear was on 44 mg after 2.5 years of heart disease. He would put on
over 100 grams of water weight daily unless he was on this dose.
Could you please double check with your vet on this dose or let us
know if it's not the 10mg/ml? Just fyi, very few of my heart kids
have to go on Lasix. Most thrive on Enacard and Co-Q10.

> She is given 6ml of AD 3
> times a day to put weight on her

In *MY* experience, if I'm trying to supplement their diet to put on
weight, I give 20-30cc's twice daily. What I have found is that
feeding 3 times daily tends to make them more dependent upon us
feeding them and less inclined to eat on their own. The 6cc's would
just be a snack and may ruin their appetite (kinda like a snack does
to us). I've also added a bit of Dyne, Pounds Plus, or STAT-VME to
the soup as it keeps the weight on the heart kids.

-Carla (not a vet)