From:
clermontk@yahoo.com
Date: 2003-06-18 02:14:20 UTC
Subject: RE: How do you know if its JL?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <666837.1055902460586.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
My ferret is a year and a half female named Minx. My current vet is not too ferret knowledgable. I believe it is an infection also. My other ferret (female 1 1/2 yrs) had similiar symptoms for most her life, but got better after a month long antibiotic treatment (although the treatment was for a problem other than the weight loss and lethary). Do you know what I should suggest my vet look into in regards to a GI inflammatory disease? And what treatments she should consider?
Thank you for your help,
Katherine
Author wrote:
> Agree 100% with Sukie. First of all, you have not mentioned the age of this ferret - JL is primarily a disease of ferrets under the age of 2.
> But the most important test in JL is a good series of X-rays of the chest and abdomen. Without enlargement of the liver, spleen, or thymus, the diagnosis is very hasty. Hepatic enzyme elevation (especially ALT and alkaline phosphatase) will happen over time in any sick ferret. Elevated lymphocytes and globulins suggest chronic smouldering infection. A good longstanding GI inflammatory disease will show all of the signs that you are describing (although to make that diagnosis on such limited information would also be a very hasty thing to do as well.
> With kindest regards,
> Bruce Williams, DVM