From:
Bob
Date: 2004-05-01 16:39:38 UTC
Subject: Alley's Illness
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <20040501163938.45661.qmail@web61106.mail.yahoo.com>
I'm not very good at putting thoughts on paper so please bear with me as i try to describe
the difficulties i had when Alley got sick.....Alley is about five years old, i received her,
two years ago, from a young lady who was getting married. The girl told me then that
Alley was about three...
Tuesday, April 6th....
Noticed ferret (Alley) is not eating and not pooping....
I feed her every morning and usually add to her dish every evening...This morning her dish
is still full and her litter box is not as dirty as it should be...She is still playfull but i make a
vet appointment for tomorrow...
Wed. April 7th....
Alley is still not eating and she is very listless...Vet examines her, gives her sub-q fluids
and checks blood glucose (48) which is low , runs Radiograph (?) , and says if she doesn't improve,
bring her back tomorrow... fluids seem to perk her up quite a bit...
Wed. evening 6:00 pm ....
Alley can't walk, she staggers and falls over to her right side, still won't eat or poop...
I try mixing honey with a little water and feeding it to her ... this is not working...
I call the vet clinic again and am told to bring her on in... A different vet is on call this evening...
By the time we arrive at the vet (1 hr drive) Alley seems to be a little better...She kindly presents
this new vet with a small fecal and urine sample...I was told that a small amount of blood was found
in her urine...This vet seems to suspect insulinoma may be the culprit... She wants me to bring
Alley back tomorrow to see the first vet again...Alley receives a Baytril injection...
Thurs Apr 8th...
Alley is still not eating, i found one very slender, glycerin like, stool. As far as i can tell the only
thing she has taken in is the Kittymalt hairball remedy that i try to get her to take from my finger....
The vet examines Alley again (palpation) ... we discuss insulinoma and the possibility of an intestinal
blockage... he wants to perform a few tests on Alley (ultrasound) so i leave her for a few hours....
I return, about four hours later ... the vet cannot determine what is causing Alley's sickness...
he wants to refer me to a vet in S.C.... He makes the appointment for me, for the next day, gives
Alley fluids, and sends us home... I try feeding her Gerbers Chicken & Gravy baby food...
she'll have none of it...
Fri. Apr 9th...
2.5 hr. drive to another vet... the first vet has been in contact with this one about Alley's symptoms...
She physically examines Alley, runs a wellness screen on her, and administers sub-q fluids... At
this time blood glucose is 108, which is in normal range... She force feeds Alley from a can of A/D...
This vet is also unable to diagnose Alley's illness... She suggests giving 1/4 tablet of Pepcid AC daily
and force feeding a small amount of A/D every four hours... Since this is Easter weekend the clinic will
be closed, so she wants me to bring Alley back on Monday if she hasn't improved...After returning
home i place Alley back into her cage... A few minutes later she is gagging and vomiting... I remove
her from the cage, to replace the bedding, and see that she is walking all right but still very lethargic....
Sat.Apr 10th...
I try force feeding A/D to Alley... slowly i give her 2 mls... a few minutes later she vomits again...
What to do?...There is a ferret shelter, located about 2 to 2 1/2 hrs from here, and i've heard good
things about the woman who runs it ......Diane Campbell......
I call Diane, at "Ferret Guardian Rescue Haven," and ask for help...All i had to do was ask...
Diane immediately offered to take Alley under her supportive wing for the weekend, and then take
her to the shelter's vet Monday morning....Tony Campbell, Diane's husband, even offered to meet me
halfway if i wanted to deliver her to them... I gladly took them up on their offer... I felt that, at that time
i was inadequate to meet Alley's needs and here was an offer from someone that i had tremendous
faith in... even though i'd never me this person... Diane nursed and looked after Alley through the week
end .... She gave sub-Q fluids, pepcid, and carafate... got her to eat small amounts of chicken gravy
and monitored her blood glucose...
Mon. Apr 12th...
I meet Diane at her vet's clinic... Alley crawls into my shirt and goes to sleep, she is a sick little ferret...
After bringing the vet up-to-date on Alley's recent history she decides it would be best if she kept Alley
overnight for testing and monitoring...I have a doctors appointment tomorrow, many miles away... Diane
kindly volunteers to collect Alley from the vet on Tues. and keep her untill I can pick her up Wed...
Tues. Apr 13th...
After keeping my Dr.'s appt. 2 hrs away from home in the opposite direction, I anxiously call Diane to
check on Alley's progress...The good news is she is eating chicken gravy, is having soft stools, and
seems to be feeling better... The bad news is there is still no diagnosis of what her problem is...
Diane wants to keep her for a few more days because the vet wants to re-examine her Friday...
I know she is getting the best possible care, so I agree to this arrangement...She is being given oral
antibiotics, (Metronidazole and Amoxicillin), sucralfate, Imodium, and lots of supportive care...
Blood glucose is 139...
Wed. Apr 14th...
I realize that Diane is a very busy woman and has to tend to all of the shelter ferrets, in addition to
Alley, and i don't want to waste her valuable time, but i call her to get a report on Alley's progress....
I'm told that Alley is steadily improving... Woo-Hoo...
Thur. Apr 15th...
Once again I'm reluctant to interrupt Diane's busy schedule but i have to call and see how Alley is doing...
Diane is such a kind and gracious person and she understands my concern for Alley... she patiently soothes
my fears and reassures me that Alley is doing well...
Fri. Apr 16th..
.
Diane says i can pick Alley up now, she thinks she's well enough to come home...
The vet re-examined her today but made no new discoveries...
Working Diagnosis... Hypoglycemia of undetermined etiology. Dehydration,Vomiting of undetermined
etiology ...
Prognosis...guarded since we do not know the origin of her problem, however she has responded well to
supportive management...
Fri. Apr 30th...
Alley has been home for two weeks now, and I'm happy to say that she seems to be as healthy and
active as ever...She loves chicken gravy and doesn't want to switch to kibble... I may have to learn to
cook after all these years...lol... She was a good girl and took all of her meds for the two weeks so i'm
hoping she's out of the woods...Yesterday i took her to a local vet and was told her blood glucose was
well within normal range and she did not seem to be dehydrated at all... I am very dissapointed that we
don't know the cause of this illness or if it may reccur at any time...Consultation with three veterinarians
cost over $ 800.00 but i don't begrudge the cost, if Alley is healthy again...
The services of Diane Campbell were priceless... I honestly believe I would have lost Alley if Diane had
not been there for us... Thank you Diane, Thank you very much........
I offer this report, to the group, to see if anyone has had a similiar experience...
What should i expect in the future, concerning Alley's health? Do you think this is just a one time
sickness that won't happen again or is this an indication of a more serious underlying condition?
Any and all thoughts appreciated...Thanks, Bob Adkins
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