Message Number: SG5387 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Quarrius@aol.com
Date: 2003-07-18 18:13:45 UTC
Subject: Refusing Kibble w/ Lymphoma / Congestion in the lung
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <20324370.1058563908838.JavaMail.nobody@magnesium.smartgroups.com>

Hi everyone,

Was wondering if others out there have experienced this.

Haggis has lymphoma. He is only 5 or 6. It was first noticed when he was
eating less kibble and breathing faster/ more shallow than normal. Xrays showed
little, bloodwork was within normal limits. He continued to scare me by sleeping
deeper than normal, breathing shallow. I brought to Dr. xxxx- he re-shot
Xray and was able to see congestion in the lung. It was much clearer on the
second Xray - his right lung is filled with some kind of fluid.
Dr. Weiss said he has seen it in lymphoma cases and a few ADV cases. We
tested Haggis for ADV. He is negative (yay!) but it points more fingers at
lymphoma.

I opted against chemo for him but started him on pred. 0.3ml 2x/day. That was
three weeks ago. He has since been upped to 0.4ml and again to 0.5ml.
I did see a bit of a difference in how he acted as wew have increased (the
0.5 is too new to tell just yet)--but I am still very concerned about his
breathing.

It is more labored now and less lkike a pant. That makes me think that he
does feel somewhat better. He tends to walk around and then chose to lie down on
odd places he normally doesn't - like apile of clothing. He will lay flat with
his eyes open. He has always been very bouncy so I figure he might be
depressed since bouncing and running are hard on him w/ the lung congestion/lymphoma.

has anyone had this in their ferrets that have gotten lymphoma?
I am super concerrned about the refusing food. He is teh ferret that would
sit in front on the bowl and eat until he had to roll away. He loved his kibble.
Always hiding it or laying down and eating it liek a slob.
Bob C's chicken Gravy, or even mashed up kibble. He will gobble that up but
he won't touch his kibble. TF (I've tried older ferret and reg.)

If i give him a pice of wet kibble (to enhance smell) he will either hide it
or walk past it. Never eats it. I try going as long as i can hoping he will
like it, all the tricks (open bag of food on the floor used to be his fav. He
preferred to go in the bag and eat--that doesn't even work).

I was thinking he is spoiled, but now I am wondering if there is something
more.
Do ferrets breathe more when they eat? Is it just easier for him to eat
gravy/soft food?

Any suggestions? I am so scared. I wish it wasn't in his lungs...it is so sad
to see...

thanks,
Meagan..and her only remaining fuzzy, Haggis.