From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2003-05-26 03:04:05 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] bilateral adrenal ferret
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-Id: <20030525230405.7bdae75b.whiteweasel@earthlink.net>
On Sun, 25 May 2003 17:16:36 +0100 (BST)
draegons@msn.com wrote:
> Cain had bilateral adrenal surgery, he is not doing well.
> What is the dosage for
> Florinef/fludrocortisone
> Have tablet 0.1 mg
This varies by body weight and how well the ferret responds to the
medication. The same is true for prednisone. The only way you can tell
is to get Cain to the vet and have blood work done to determine his
electrolyte levels. Based on how far off he is and whether the sodium
and potassium readings are low or high your vet will adjust the meds
accordingly.
THIS IS URGENT. If the electrolytes get too far out of balance Cain
could go into a full blown Addisonian Crisis, which is life threatening.
If you haven't gotten Cain to the vet yet, do so ASAP if he is severely
lethargic and/or shivering. This CANNOT wait until Tuesday. If your
vet cannot see him off hours or during a holiday he needs to go to an
emergency clinic with an experienced ferret vet.
My Pertwee did NOT respond to prednisone at all, and the net result was
no amount of adjusting the dosage made one bit of difference. He went
into a full blown Addisonian Crisis, which basically means he totally
collapsed and his body temp dropped. Thankfully, the vet at the
emergency clinic stabilized him and gave him dexamethasone, which turned
out to be exactly the right answer for him. He's been on a combination
of fludrocortisone and dexamethasone ever since. This is extremely
unusual, but it is a possibilitly for EITHER med. There are always
alternatives, thankfully.
The main point is that Pertwee was on death's door. The emergency vet
originally didn't think he'd make it. Don't let Cain get to that point.
The good news: once the electrolytes are in balance bilateral adrenal
ferts can do very well indeed. It's been three years since Pertwee's
surgery, and he is happy, playful, and bouncy.
Good luck!
Caity and the non-stop nine