Message Number: SG4377 | New FHL Archives Search
From: quarrius@aol.com
Date: 2003-05-05 17:18:08 UTC
Subject: Chronic Active Lymphocytic Rhinitis (long)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <300667.1052155088516.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>

I wrote a few weeks ago about LittleWhiteGirl--but I still need help.

I'm trying to decide if I get in the car and drive for 5 hours to the vet or not--I'm not sure if I'm being over cautious or not...

Due to lethargy and stuffy nose and lingering flu like symptoms with no reaction to long term antibiotics, Littlewhitegirl had a nasal scope done 3 weeks ago.
Results found no cancer in the biopsied tissue, significant amount of mucus in the nasal cavity, chronic active lymphocytic rhinitis and bacteria in nose was found to be : psuedomonas

Can one of the vets expand a little on this for me? I am told by my vet that he hasn't seen a case of this before in ferrets. He has told me supportive care, etc but...what else can I learn about it? I thought I found some info on Dr. Williams site but the link wasn't working.

We are treating the psuedomonas with baytril (one of the few antibiotics that it isn't resistent to). She was stuffy and inflammed the first few days but she does seem less congested now.

I fear I have a secondary illness that is being masked by the nasal problems. She sleeps a lot. She did prior to the nasal scope too--but I feel it is more. Xrays 3 weeks ago didn't show anything, neither did her bloodwork.

Occasionally when she pees she lets out a slight wimper, she doesn't get all the way into the box anymore--she used to be 100% now she stops with one leg in and one out. Two vets have palpated her abdomen in the past few weeks--1st vet felt thickening in her abdomen, 2nd more experienced vet felt nothing but fat there. 6 weeks ago her BG was 82 (long fast), 3 weeks ago it was 108 (normal fast). It has been 1yr+ since her insulinoma surgery. I know 108 is normal--but I just have a gut feeling it is wrong.

She no longer has any interest in playing. Not sure if this is brought on by the loss of her two buddies friends since January, the Everlasting cold/rhinitis, old age (~6years) or something else.

She will lay down occasionally and just sit there, sometimes her head will kind bob--something I have seen in my other ferrets that after surgery has proven to be insulinoma or a tumor.

She doesn't run that often and last night her breathing was shallow and quicker than normal. Something else I saw in my other ferret, Keera. an Xray on Keera showed a rounding on the liver lobe--expected a tumor. when he got in there, the tumor took up her entire ribcage and squished her gallbladder. This explained Keera's shallow more rapid breathing. So you can see why I am concerned that littlewhitegirl was breathing like that yesterday.

You know when you can just tell there is something?
it is so frustrating because I dont know where to go next. My instincts with these guys have never been wrong--and when I have delayed going to the veet, I have regretted it--but I also don't want to take an unnecessary trip.

I guess My real question is: what can I do at a local before getting in the car mid-week and travelling all the way down to Maryland on a hunch?

Also: would a pseudomonas infection knock her out and make her this lethargic?

Her current meds are: 1/4 tab of baytril 1/day, 0.3 ml childrens' benedryl 2x/day (for congestion). A little bit (maybe .2) of pet tinic mixed in to her meds for taste.

Thanks for any help or info you can provide...I'm feeling so lost right now..

Meg