Message Number: SG4511 | New FHL Archives Search
From: sfox@ycp.edu
Date: 2003-05-14 18:29:04 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Huge apology/still clueless (Long--sorry)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5652025.1052939419033.JavaMail.nobody@magnesium>

Quoting Imfifth@aol.com:
> 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

If this was a human I'd say it sounds like she has had a stroke, head injury or
has a tumor either in the brain or on the spinal column. A cerebral
aneurysm/bleed can cause nucal (neck) stiffness, dizziness, unilateral
weakness. Depending on the vessel involved it can also cause changes in vision
and decreased ability to control the eyelids. If you can deal with the expense
a CT would reveal both bleeds and lesions. Good luck.

Sandra