From:
jk.raccio@attbi.com
Date: 2003-06-19 12:49:02 UTC
Subject: Atrophy from prolonged illness?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <6075277.1056026942530.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
About a little over a month or so ago or ferret fifi developed a pretty serious bug. She has always been small and always has had GI problems so she lost alot of weight. She is now a very slim 1lb 1.5oz and we are having a real problem getting weight on due to the fact that she is very picky, it seems that no matter what "treat" we shove in her face she hates it, and she does not take force feeding well. Shes been poked, prodded, ultrasounded and xrayed, and there seems to be nothing wrong beyond tummy issues. The only abnormal blood value at last test was low white cell count, 1.3 or 1.5, I dont remember exactly. These were slighly high when she was hospitalized along with high liver values 600's, vet surmised it was from the infection and these soom went down.
On to the focus of my question, she walks like a drunk. Falling over and such. It seems that once she gets up and walks around a bit she straightens out a bit but she remains wobbly. The vet has, from ultrasound and blood tests rulled out insulinoma and Cushing's nor was any structural damage seen on the xrays. Could she just be weak still from losing so much weight, her lowest weight was 13oz, or from so inactive for the past month? Anyone else have these types of issues that are not realated directly to disease?
Sorry for the long post, to much history...
Thanks
Jesse, Kim, fifi, obelix, papillon