From:
"Amy Seyler"
Date: 2004-01-09 04:01:46 UTC
Subject: Dealing with ascites
To: "FHL" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <000e01c3d665$505fc340$6b122804@dslverizon.net>
I scanned through some of the archives on this but not every message. Hanna=
h, who would be 8 in March, began filling up the week before Christmas. She=
had 150 ccs drained on Christmas Eve.
The fluid was spun down -- no neoplastic cells, but plenty of red blood cel=
ls, and most importantly, albumen. She does have cardio but in this case sh=
e has been stable for over a year, and my vet said that she believes she ma=
y have an abdominal lymphoma that may have thrown an embolism or infarct to=
the kidney. One of her lymph nodes in the abdomen is enlarged. Her kidneys=
are obviously failing.
She is dying, and we know that. What I want to get some feedback on is tryi=
ng to make her comfortable until she goes. She's now bigger than she was at=
Christmas and has secondary edema in her back legs. This makes it hard for=
her to walk.
We know the end is near but would appreciate any advice on keeping her comf=
ortable. Due to her low protein and other medical issues we would prefer no=
t to tap her again.
Thanks,
Amy, Dave, Sarah & Paul (and their gaggle of giggling ferrets)
RIP Ian, Elektra, Claudia, Sidney & Max
Missing Tasha