From:
Pam Sessoms
Date: 2003-06-10 16:04:25 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Anyone know what this might be?
To: Zukeepr02@aol.com
cc: Ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <Pine.A41.4.44+UNC.0306101158310.28354-100000@login6.isis.unc.edu>
> Bibbley, a recent rescue blaze, age unknown is having swelling at the
> top of and around the back of his head. It's hard as a rock, but feels
> like it's muscular in nature.
Could it be lymph nodes? Maybe it can be needle aspirated?
> He's grinding his teeth, won't even eat duck soup, he's a little
> dehydrated and is very lethargic. His poop is black gelatin. Anyone
> have any ideas what we're dealing with?
I don't know how it ties in with the swelling around the back of his head,
but those signs sound very much like gastric ulcers. Grinding teeth, not
wanting to eat, lethargy, dehydrated, and black slimy poop. The grinding
teeth, etc, is usually from abdominal pain, and you have black poop which
is digested blood from high up in the GI tract.
These cases need a lot of nursing care and meds and force feedings. Try a
bland diet like Gerber's seconds chicken baby food (if your duck soup is
all meat, it's probably OK). You'll have to force him at first. Get the
vet to teach you how to do subcutaneous fluids at home - that's honestly a
lot easier than forcing fludies in orally.
Get Carafate for the ulcers; it's an oral med that sticks to the ulcers in
the stomach, coating them and lessening pain while eating and helping them
heal. Give the carafate about 10 minutes before EACH feeding. It's often
prescribed to be given 2-4 times a day, but it's better to do it before
each feeding.
There is a lot more in the archives at http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/
Good pages to look at are:
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/babyfood.html
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/ulcers.html
Best wishes,
-Pam S.