From:
"Lynn Mac Farlane"
Date: 2004-06-04 18:11:47 UTC
Subject: Cody's problem
To: "Ferret Health List" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Cc: <suedvm96@hotmail.com>
Message-ID: <LPBBLMGAINDPLIFEALMAMEPGGCAA.gypsi@atlantic.net>
Hi Folks,
Just wanted to give you a update on Cody.
As you know he had an extremely large spleen removed on May 11th. Prior to
this he was in a lot of pain, especially when he peed. After surgery doc
said it would take longer than normal for him to heal. Well he still
whimpered when he peed & I felt something was wrong with him. Was basically
told by the bet that I am over protective, worried mom & let him heal.
Sorry but he is one of my babies I know being around him 24/7 something is
wrong. After a lot of tests, everything was coming back normal. I am
banging my head against the wall trying to help him & not seemingly getting
anywhere. I do thank everyone for all their advice & prayers for my little
guy. I don't exactly who I was writing to about him so forgive me if I
didn't send you a personal mail or if I added your name to this list by
mistake.
Ok, I talked with the wonderful lady that has nearby shelter & who sent me
to this vet. I told her what was going on & that Cody wasn't getting better
but seemed to be getting worse, not to mention the pain he still has. I
asked her if I could bring Cody over to her place so she could see him &
hear him & then let the doc know that I am not crazy. She said yes. Way
before we got there she had notified the vets office that if she saw
something about Cody that she didn't like, we would be bringing Cody
straight to the office. I fed him before we left here hoping that when we
got there he would have to pee so she could hear him. Don't you know I took
a wrong turn & by the time I did get there & parked, he peed.
Anyhow she didn't like what she saw & heard so off we went to the vet. He
was at a loss of what could be wrong so ordered x-rays. It isn't good. I
cannot remember all of the technical terms & don't yet have a copy of his
report, so you people that know the terms will know exactly what I am
talking about & others will just have to hang in there.
It seems that Cody has a small heart. But that isn't so much the problem.
There is something between the lungs that is suppose to be paper thin in a
normal ferret. In Cody it is an inch wide. Plus it seems that there is a
large mass over, or around the lungs which is some sort of lymph problem.
He isn't sure which one it is exactly & wouldn't unless he went in. Which
he feels would kill Cody & even if he did ok there is nothing he can do
about it. I asked him if anything could be done if it was a younger ferret
& he said the only thing would be a complete chest replant. He was amazed
at how quickly this has seemed to come. He mentioned that it wasn't there
before the surgery, but I don't think he took x-rays. I know the 1st vet
took an x-ray & said the spleen was so large it blocked all other organs
from view, Now i am wondering if she took a full x-ray or just of his lower
half, because I don't think the spleen would be up near the lungs & heart,
enough to block them out. But not being a vet, I wouldn't know. I will be
calling her later to ask her & let her know about Cody.
The only thing this vet can think of as to why Cody whimpers when he pees
is that when he pushes, it puts pressure on that mass which would then push
against his heart & lungs, & he said that could cause the pain. There is
nothing in his urinary track that is causing pain. He said to give Cody a
large shot of Dex once a week which will make him feel a little better.
Cody also had a 103 fever but wasn't given any antibiotics, so I put a ice
thing like you put in coolers wrapped in a towel to help him get cooler. I
gave him the shot as soon as we got home, (Wednesday) but have not seen
where it is doing anything for him. The vet also said to give him anything
he wants to eat & all the love he can handle. Well he was getting all the
love before & if he keeps on getting everything he wants to eat, he won't be
able to walk at all, I'll have to teach him how to roll around. *LOL* I am
making him as comfortable as I can until it is time to let him go. I
believe the vet thinks it will be fairly soon.
I again thank everyone for their input. My advice to others that have a gut
feeling that there is a problem with their ferret, even when you have 1 to 3
vets telling you nothing is really wrong, keep pushing until someone will
listen to you. Vets over the Internet can do only so much as they can't
physically examine the animal, (thank you Dr. Sue for your thoughtfulness &
kindness in trying to help Cody, I only wish it was something you thought it
might be. Who would have know the problem was farther up?) Anyway if you
believe in your mind & heart there is something wrong with your fur baby,
insist on every test that might help, even if it is eliminating certain
things. that will help. Don't take no for an answer, even if you have to go
a few hours to find a different vet, do it. You might be in time to save
your baby. Remember the problems that Cody had, the whimpering when he
peed, that he didn't strain to pee so it was most likely not the prostate.
That when he did pee there was a lot of pee, not just a little bit. Have
x-rays done of the whole ferret. If it has surgery do it before & then
again afterwards. It wasn't necessary to open Cody up far enough to get a
view of his lungs & heart to remove the spleen so that is why the vet didn't
see it when he removed the spleen. Maybe it wasn't even there then, but I
tend to think it was. If only because of his crying.
Again thank you all for your kindness in replying & offering advice, there
are a bunch more ferrets here so you never know when your advice will come
in handy.
Sincerely,
Lynn & Clan War Weasels