From:
"Sue Liszewski"
Date: 2003-10-21 04:17:09 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Digestive tract issues
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <LAW12-F16U1O6YalkXh00003027@hotmail.com>
If he still has his right adrenal why is he on Percortin? This drug really
only needs to be given in the few ferrets that go Addisonian post a
bilateral adrenalectomy. Is he on any Omega 3 Fatty acids, if not add
thiis? This has an antiinflammatory effect on the intestinal tract. I
often put these guys on a feline diet by IVD called select care Neutral, it
is use for IBD in cats and I have had good success with this. The
prednisolone, I usu start at 0.5 to 1mg/kg dose and usu use the 15mg/5ml
(which is 3mg/ml) this way you can give less. For a bland diet I usu mix
some of the intestinal diets with water in a blender with the Omega 3 Fatty
acids, and add some Peanut Butter. I find that if you keep the protein up
and the fat down some they can absorb things better. Let me know if you
have other questions. Good Luck!
Susan Liszewski DVM
>From: "Saskia Visser" <saszoo@hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
>To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
>CC: ferret-list@cunyvm.cuny.edu
>Subject: [ferrethealth] Digestive tract issues
>Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 18:12:06 +0100
>
>Hello everyone,
>
>I have run into a problem with one of my ferrets. Doodle is 5 years old
>and
>for the past 6 or 7 months has had chronic diarrhea. We first tried some
>anti-biotics and it did not resolve the problem. Lab work showed that his
>albumin was low which apparently is not uncommon with chronic diarrhea. We
>decided to do an exploratory surgery ( to look for hairball, etc.)
>
>We opened him up and found a hairball, we assumed that would take care of
>it. When we had opened him up we removed some insulinoma tumors as well
>as
>his left adrenal gland. His right had been removed 8 months previously, we
>were unable to recheck the right because of some nasty adhesions.
>
>Anyway, his stool improved for about 3 days and then was mucousy and seedy
>again. The unfortunate thing was that the vet did not take a stomach or
>intestinal biopsy, but we decided to treat for Helicobacter mustelae. The
>treatment did not improve the stool either. The vet had biopsied the
>mesenteric lymphnode and it showed inflammation.
>
>I then moved from Holland to Ireland where I am currently studying
>veterinary medicine (1st year), I contacted the vet again because the
>diarrhea issue was still not resolved. She suggested putting him on
>Walthams convalesence support and then trying to add some cooked meat to
>see
>if he is allergic to any food. I tried for a while but he was very picky
>and getting stressed out about it. He would urinate and poo on me, his
>hair
>coat became even more dull. He was also loosing weight. I decided to let
>him eat his food again because I am at vet school all day and cannot make
>sure that he eats enough.
>
>So I decided to try pediapred. He is currently on 1.25 cc (ml) of 1mg/ml
>liquid pred once a day, and 0.5 cc carafate twice a day mixed in his soup (
>he freaks out otherwise, only way I can be sure he takes it). His stool
>has
>improved, his diarrhea is not continuous. But he still has his off times
>where he will have diarrhea for a day or 2. Should I increase the dose
>untill the diarrhea stops? When should I try to reduce the dose? Should I
>be trying something else? And can some one recommend a recipe or two for a
>bland diet to see if he likes a different kind (The soup he does accept is
>made with Hill's A/D.)
>
>I do not have access to a ferret knowledgeable vet here, maybe someone
>knows
>of one? Doodle is also on 0.2 cc of Percorten every month but I am
>wondering since we could not inspect the right to see if there was any new
>growth maybe he does not need it. Would giving him the percorten if he
>does
>not need it cause any problems or symptoms that I should watch out for?
>
>I appreciate any help and ideas, I also hope that a few vets will respond
>to
>this. Thank you in advance, if you need any further info please ask. (I
>have blood values, radiographs, etc, etc.)
>
>Saskia
>
>
>--
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>visit http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
>
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