From:
Jane Bradley
Date: 2004-06-07 17:46:59 UTC
Subject: Our Anton is sick
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <40C4AA13.8000708@cox.net>
This is a combination of 2 posts I have made on another site. I would
appreciate any input about Anton. Thanks, Jane
One of our newest ferrets, Anton is sick. We noticed that he was
sleeping a lot around the middle of the week and then on Thursday
evening and Friday morning, he wouldn't move around at all. He acted
like he couldn't move his hind legs. We thought at first that maybe he
had hurt his back but then realized that he could move his legs but just
didn't want to. I took him to the vet Friday afternoon. Everything
looks and feels normal except for a temp of 103.7 and being lethargic.
(He even cked Anton's BG and it was good) He is eating and pooping
normally also. The vet gave him a shot of Metacam to help with fever
and such and told me to call and get an antibiotic if he was not better
Saturday morning. He was moving around more by then but still had a
temp of 103.8 so we got the drug for him. As of this afternoon,(Sunday)
his
temp is 105 and there is no change. He still eats, drinks and poops
normally but spends all the rest of the time sleeping. He doesn't want
to move around at all. The vet did ask me if I had heard of the mystery
illness that was hitting some ferrets. I told him I did know of it but
we both questioned this b/c Anton is over 2 yrs old and so far only
young ferrets have had this illness. I will be calling the vet back in
the morning unless Anton is greatly improved by then.
I took Anton back to the vet this morning (Monday) b/c he wasn't any
better and his temp was 105.5. The vet did exrays and a full blood
profile. Everything is normal with the exception of a slightly
elevated white cell count! Plus his temp is now 106.1. Dr. Finkler is
as puzzled as we are. He commented again that this looks just like the
"mystery illness" but he has never heard of a ferret as old as Anton
getting it. I am bringing him home and we will continue the antibiotic
and start him on 1/4 baby aspirin a day. As long as he is still eating
and drinking and pooping normally and not hurting, we are going to give
him time. It could still be something as simple as some type of virus
or bacterial infection and Anton be fine within a week. We are to keep
a record of his temp twice a day and let the vet know if anything changes.
This is so frustrating, not knowing just what it wrong.
Jane