From:
"Ulrike"
Date: 2004-02-03 12:04:34 UTC
Subject: Sudden weak ferret- "water works" infection or neurological?
To: "Ferrethealth" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-Id: <401F8E52.00000D.02100@FERRETLOVE1>
Gremlin, 5 years old, spayed. Last Thursday morning she was 100% normal, at
night she was too weak to move or even stand. I measured her blood glucose
twice, before food 65mg/dl, after food 134mg/dl. I have been putting her
into the toilet every few hours since Thursday evening because she was too
weak to go to the toilet. She drooled badly every time she went for a pee.
Would that indicate pain? She is on rimadyl.
A year ago she had (the same?) problem, sudden weakness and very high fever.
This time she was put on antibiotics and rimadyl straight away so I don't
know if she had a fever or would have had one without the rimadyl. Last year
she had blood test and x-ray which were inconclusive and when Gremlin
submitted a urine sample, my vet looked at it (the sediment) and concluded
that she had a UTI. Gremlin recovered slowly (it took at least a week) after
being on rimadyl and baytril. Then her brother came down with the same thing
as soon as Gremlin had recovered. None of the other ferrets in the group
were affected.
I have checked the FHL archives for UTI and bladder infection but Gremlin
doesn't have any of those signs, when she pees, it's a normal amount of
urine, normal colour, no blood or puss in it, she doesn't moan or cry or
show any pain, all she did was drool really badly. She can crawl along a
little but after a few inches she stops and falls on her side. She looks so
weak. I don't know if she is in pain, I can see something in her eyes but it
looks like she is just scared, like saying "what's happening?".
Has anybody had a ferret with those signs?
Ulrike
West Wales Ferret Welfare
E-mail: ulrike@ferretlove.co.uk
http://www.ferretlove.co.uk
Last update 06/12/03