From:
schmacy@auburn.edu
Date: 2004-08-30 00:58:53 UTC
Subject: Congestive heart failure
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <2960748.1093827533136.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
I am writing is request your help if possible. My ferret has congestive he=
art failure (we think). The ultrasound only showed a small increase in hear=
t size. He has been put in Lasix (2mg twice a day) and Encard (once a day).=
This course of treatment helped for two weeks then his cough came back and=
is getting worse. Unfortunately my vet is out of town for the next two wee=
ks. I have no idea what to do. There are no good ferret vets in my area. I =
have tried to remove salt from his diet, I have tried increasing his Lasix =
to 3 times a day. Neither has helped. When he coughs his heart rate goes up=
and he breaths heavy. Is there anything I can do under the constraints of =
not having a vet to prescribe anything new? Is there a possibility it could=
be something else? It gets worse after he eats, probably because he is ful=
l and the fluid pushes on his lungs. I try to feed him as often and as smal=
l as possible to help with this, but with work it is not as possible (oh, I=
am sorry- he doesn't not eat hard food- he has only eaten my mixture since=
he got sick a year ago insulinomia). I appreciate any suggestions you may =
have. I know that some ferrets don't respond to treatment and I may have to=
resign myself that this is as good as he gets. I thought for awhile he was=
getting better until the past week, so getting ones hopes up can be hard w=
hen he crashes like this. Thanks for your time!
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