Message Number: SG11747 | New FHL Archives Search
From: tdsmc@yahoo.com
Date: 2004-12-07 23:37:00 UTC
Subject: Whitey: confirmed case of DIM/mystery disease
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <6324080.1102456253450.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>

I called the vet this morning. another one was squirting like mad. He thinks it must be bacterial since they keep reinfecting, but clear up in between. I'm supposed to try and separate all the sick ones, even from each other, keep everything extra clean, stop the metrinidozole while continue the amoxy and pepto.

Author wrote:
> Technically, probiotics are not considered all that likely to help an animal with such rapid GI transit. In practise we have had some helped by getting a bit of yogurt with live cultures, one greatly helped.

To: Fert Health <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>,
Ferret-L <ferret-list@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
From: Leslie Cucino <Harley1369@cox.net>
Message-ID: <15055830.1102469751353.JavaMail.nobody@strontium.smartgroups.com>

Dear all,

My vet received the pathology reports from Dr. Michael Garner today. Whitey
did die of DIM/Mystery Disease. It caused his heart to fail. You were right
Sukie.

As the doctors still don't know how communicable this is, I am keeping a
very close eye on the rest of the fuzzbutts.

Folks, this was a horrible ordeal to have to live through, but since Whitey
was such an oddball case his records may someday help find a cure or a
vaccine.

Now a word of advice; I spent in excess of $3,000.00 trying to save Whiteys
life. This disease is almost, if not completely 100% fatal. The emotional
toll it took on me far outweighed any financial costs. I refused to give up.
I'm not suggesting that any of you put your ferrets down before it's time,
but make sure you have a good vet, (I did) and above all else, listen to
what your heart and your ferret tell you. When (or if) you have to send your
baby on to the rainbow bridge, please, PLEASE make his or her records
available to the doctors researching this!

On a happier note, the three surviving adults, (Shelby, Saide and Sparky)
the two kits (Nibbles and Little One) and my rescue ferret (Rocky) are all
well, happy and making plenty of poop to clean up :-)

Leslie