From:
Imfifth@aol.com
Date: 2003-05-14 18:12:45 UTC
Subject: Huge apology/still clueless (Long--sorry)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <94.37ab8903.2bf3e11d@aol.com>
I want to first make a HUGE apology to all list members and especially Dr.
Williams. The report that we got back from the lab 5/12 to confirm
Hemobartonella was worded in a way that completely confused the technicians
(and me when I read it!) AND also did not jive with the samples we sent. My
vet called the clin. path. and just asked for clarification since it was
worded oddly and their references in the report didn't seem to make sense
given the samples we sent. The clin path could NOT confirm Hemobartonella
and did say in her updated report that her evaluation was partly based on the
fact that it had never been previously reported in ferrets.
I'm not going to lie, I'm thoroughly confused. I'm familiar with the work of
this particular clin. path. that evaluated the slides, she has worked closely
with us on a number of cases and she's amazing. I truly trust what she tells
me as truth. That being said my vet (who I also trust immensely.....I
honestly work there because I trust/respect her) said Hemobartonella is the
one diagnosis that she can come up with that explains Ivy's symptoms as well
as her x-rays, bloodwork etc. It certainly would not be the first time we had
a rare or unusual diagnosis at the hospital. My heart is absolutely broken
that I cannot come up with a diagnosis for this ferret. She's been on
oxytetracycline for 3 days. I'm not sure how quickly the drug works but so
far no improvement. I don't mind all of the money or all of the
treatment/hand feeding, etc., but I'm frustrated that we don't know what's
wrong (conclusively). With the exception of anemia, all of her bloodwork is
WNL, her x-rays showed nothing, her fasted BG was fine. Upon PE, nothing was
palpable. She has hind end paresis, she's lethargic and had some bruising
from mild restraint (however not from fluids given and it was the same area
of the body-the scruff area).
There are some subtle differences from her and other ferrets I've nursed,
they're so subtle they're almost hard for me to put into words. She very
tongue oriented, she licks at everything when she wants to taste or
investigate it. I can't get her to chew/sniff anything. She has a tooth
that does need to eventually come out but it doesn't seem like the cause for
her lack of chewing. She won't put her face INTO anything, she will not bend
her head in a bowl, she only wants to lick off of surfaces. It's seems to my
very untrained eye that she gets easily disoriented when leaning into a bowl.
I was thinking dizzy but her ears checked out fine, no evidence of
infection. Nothing to indicate that it's neurological. I'm not convinced
that she sees well (though I've never known that to slow down a ferret)! The
doctor noted nothing abnormal in the eye exam however did note that Ivy was
"heavy lidded" we assumed due to exhaustion and malnutrition. If anyone is
still reading...... any ideas?????
Dawn