From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2004-03-15 02:20:18 UTC
Subject: Pooping bright red blood and not much else
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <12606779.1079317769054.JavaMail.nobody@magnesium.smartgroups.com>
Hi, everyone,
Lady Ayeka is a not quite six year old spayed female.
She was diagnosed with insulinoma back in January,
2002. She has been maintained on a low dosage of
pediapred (.08ml once a day, 1mg/ml concentration).
Less than that and she has symptoms and low blood
glucose. With that small dosage her last blood
glucose was 103. The only surgery she has ever had
was to remove a benign mast cell tumor nearly five
years ago. That never recurred. Otherwise she's been
healthy and very active. She has about doubled her
body weight (approx. 600g to approx. 1.2kg) since
starting on pred.
Tonight, with no warning, she pooped a little sludgy
poop and a bunch of bright red blood. We called the
local emergency clinic. The ferret knowledgeable vet
there was going off duty but suggested that it was
probably something like collitis. She suggested that
if it did not recur and if Ayeka remained active and
bright that we should get her to our regular vet first
thing in the morning.
Well... half an hour later she pooped bright red blood
again and not much else. We called our regular vet
who also believes it's something in her colon. Keith
is rushing Ayeka to the emergency clinic as we speak.
(Tomorrow is my first day on a new job or I'd be there
too.) Our regular vet is working by phone with the
emergency vet who is on duty. That emergency vet has
very little experience with ferrets by her own
admission. Current plan is to start Ayeka on
antibiotics and fluids. Beyond that it depends on
what the vets involved find. If it becomes a serious
emergency our regular vet will come in to treat her.
My questions in posting should be pretty obvious. Has
anyone seen anything like this before? If so, what
was it? Suggestions? Things to pass on?
We're worried and it bothers me that the first
responder isn't ferret knowledgeable, but the
alternative is a three hour drive.
All the best,
Caity and the six worried weasels
_