From:
- Z -
Date: 2003-09-09 17:51:31 UTC
Subject: clear gel-like discharge
To: FerretHealth <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com >
Message-Id: <5210326.1063140107977.JavaMail.nobody@magnesium.smartgroups.com>
I'll preface this by saying I have a vet appointment
scheduled and a request put in for my vet to give me a call.
On August 16, 1.5-year-old Seti had his rabies vaccination
(this is his second in his life). About three days later, I
noticed that his stool was loose and seedy. That happens
every now and then so I just kept an eye on him. Within the
next couple of days he started intermittantly excreting a
clear gel-like discharge in small amounts, usually no more
than 1/8 teaspoon at a time. No fecal material at all that I
could see, no "seeds", just clear stuff. At the risk of
sounding very gross, I myself have had giardia in the past
and at its worst was producing something similar myself.
Seti was eating and drinking normally and had his usual high
energy level, so I decided that "wait and see" would be ok.
He was also having ordinary stool throughout, although it was
a bit light in color. I figured that perhaps he had picked
up some bug from the waiting room floor at the vet's.
His stool went back to normal within two or three days.
However, about a week or so later, the symptom repeated.
Again, normal activity level, normal appetite. It abated
again, and now it's back again. He is producing less clear
gel than before. I don't see any signs of exterior anal
irritation. The only distress he shows is when he's
scampering for the litter paper because he really has to go.
He doesn't appear to be in any pain or distress when he's
producing this stuff.
His fellow ferret Pan has not shown any signs of
gastrointestinal problems, and they sleep together, groom
each other, share litter paper, water supplies, food dishes,
and when they get Linatone they will try to lick it out of
each other's mouths (seriously!), which at least makes me
think that it's not something contaigious. Pan has a touchy
digestive system in general, so I would think he would catch
this if it were catching (otoh, he spent ten days in July on
ulcer-treating antibiotics, so perhaps his constitution is
stronger than it has been).
Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? Because it came
so soon after the rabies vaccination, I can't help but wonder
if it's related (also, Pan was not vaccinated). I have also
done just enough reading to scare myself regarding EE or even
the onset of juvenile lymphoma. His diet has not changed in
the last several months: a blend of Totally Ferret, Ferret
Store brand Natural Choice and Iams kitten. I hadn't opened
new bags of food recently either. Seti has always coughed
and sneezed more often than the other ferrets I've lived
with, but his lungs and heart have always sounded good at the
vet's.
Again, I am seeing and talking to my vet, in whom I have
great faith; just wondering if anybody has any experience
with something like this...
Regina