From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-08-23 00:12:40 UTC
Subject: RE: Diazoxide & Prednisolone Dosing
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5500499.1093219960901.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Ferrets do tend to have weight gain from steroids but they do NOT tend to have the edema problems that are seen in other species.
It would pay to have the nearby vet see if this is ascites that you are encountering. If it is then cardiomyopathy is the most commonly reported cause in ferrets, and it can also trace back to lympho, kidney disease, liver disease, etc.
It really sounds like you and she are going through the wringer.
The breathing problem you report also makes me wonder about her heart or about fluid in her lungs.
We have been in the situation in which a ferret looked like she had insulinoma but instead had a different problem with her pancreas, in one case lympho and in the other carcinoma.
To help you perhaps find a ferret vet closer to you there are lists of such vets and also shelters often recommend vets. If you are in central NJ I can help you find one, otherwise check in these places:
http://www.smartgroups.com/vault/ferrethealth/ReferenceShelf/FerretVets.htm
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/vets/
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/vets.htm
http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-vets.html
http://www.geocities.com/houseferrets13uk/Vets.html UK vets
http://www.ferrets.org/Veterinarian_Listings.htm
http://www.quincyweb.net/quincy/vet.html
also check with clubs, in magazines (though those listings are more likely to be provided by hospitals than by clients), and in shelter lists that also list the vet used such as
http://www.supportourshelters.org