From:
naturabella@stny.rr.com
Date: 2004-11-29 03:35:32 UTC
Subject: RE: Shelby---heart trouble--supplements
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5048837.1101699332314.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Angie,
Has your ferret been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy? If her heart problems c=
ontinue I recommend a cardiac ultrasound. My ferret began fast heavy breat=
hing and an xray showed fluid in and around his lungs.(congestive heart fai=
lure) He had an ekg and cardio ultrasound and was diagnosed with a restrict=
ive type cardiomyopathy. He was started on enalapril at a dosage of 0.5mg/d=
ay (once a day).He did okay on this for a while but his kidney values start=
ed creeping up, because enalapril is metabolized through the kidneys. He w=
as switched to benazapril, which has the same effects as enalapril, but is =
metabolized through the liver. After Neeko was put on benezapril at 0.625m=
g per day, he did fine and his kidney values became normal again. So watch =
the kidney values with enalapril, you might need to switch her. Also, enala=
pril lowers blood pressure which could account for a change in behavior, es=
pecially when they are getting used to the drug. Keep an eye on x rays for =
fluid from the arrhythmia, this is what caused my ferrets breathing to beco=
me fast and heavier. The only supplement my ferret is on is Taurine(60mg/da=
y)
My ferret is also on lasix to control fluid build up and is also on pimoben=
dan. Pimobendan is in the same class of drugs as digoxin. Neeko was switche=
d to pimobendan when we found he could not tolerate digoxin. His heart con=
dition seems to be stable at the time. You might not need the extra drugs f=
or your girl's heart, but I thought I would mention them just in case she n=
eeds them someday. I wish you the best for your little girl,
Tara
Author wrote:
> Shelby, our dark eyed white girl became somewhat lethargic a couple of we=
eks ago
> with a runny nose and eyes. We started treating her with amoxi and duck s=
oup every
> 4 hrs. She also developed diarhea. We also started giving her baytril. I =
took her to
> our vet who is over 2 hrs. away and he listened to her heart and did some=
xrays. He
> said she had a murmur and that her heart was skipping a beat. He gave us =
enalapril,
> 1 mg. and told me to give her 1/4 tablet every other day. I gave her her =
first dose
> that afternoon, Sat. We noticed that she was a little more lively. Yester=
day when she
> didn't get a dose she seemed pretty good, a little perkier, although she =
is still very
> weak and runs out of juice quickly. Today I gave her her 2nd dose of the =
enalapril
> and she seems strange, almost as if she can't figure out what's wrong wit=
h herself,
> as well as heavy and quick breathing. I also started giving her vit c, e,=
CoQ10, and
> alpha lipoic acid, although I'm not real sure on the dosage amounts. I'm
> not pleased with the effects of the enalapril and am wondering about any=
one else's
> experiences with this drug as well as the supplements.
> Angie George
=
=