From:
iar2@cornell.edu
Date: 2003-02-09 17:04:55 UTC
Subject: tracheal calcification
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <17106053.1044810295381.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Hello everyone,
I have an 11-month old ferret who I adopted from a shelter at 6 months old.=
He's had horrible, sporadic coughing fits ever since I brought him home t=
hat I can only describe as a very loud, dry, honking goose kind of sound. =
These coughing fits sometimes last as long as ten minutes of on and off cou=
ghing and happen as often as a few times a week to as far apart as two week=
s. We've done the obvious treatments of antibiotics and even tried treatme=
nt for gastric reflux (since it happens often after he's been laying around=
for a while). Radiographs show tracheal calcification (very obvious and d=
efined rings on the xray). The vet says that this is likely due to chronic=
bronchitis or poor air quality during his formative months. I have two qu=
estions about this. One - does this sound like the likely cause of his cou=
ghing fits? And two - what is there that I an do to ease or remedy this si=
tuation? The vet has just started him on a bronchial dilator (Theophylline=
) and we are going to see if that has any effect, but is a twice daily med =
the only possibility available? He's only 11 months old and would have to =
be on that drug forever.
Thanks for your help,
Ingrid
=