From:
"Dan Muldoon"
Date: 2003-06-06 20:09:59 UTC
Subject: Penicillin allergies in ferrets?
To: "Ferret Health List" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <004701c32c67$9b873950$269a8693@URD0020647421>
Has anyone heard of a ferret becoming allergic to penicillin? If so, how do
the symptoms present? Foster has been on Amoxi-Drops rather constantly. He
used to like the bubble-gum drops so much that I wished they made a treat
version (minus the amoxicillin). Now he gags and resists the medicine. We're
pretty certain that he has both megaesophagus (based on X-ray and
regurgitation) and inflammatory bowel (diarrhea laden with eosinophils).
He's on the "amoxi" because Dr. XX is concerned (reasonably, IMO) about
infections in the presence of an immune system suppressed by dexamethasone and
aziothioprine (generic Imuran).
I know that humans can suddenly develop life-threatening reactions to
penicillin and I'd hate to risk the same for Foster.
Dan