Message Number: SG9155 | New FHL Archives Search
From: "Sue Liszewski"
Date: 2004-06-15 04:03:37 UTC
Subject: RE: [ferrethealth] need help for snapple
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <BAY15-F13e4fDGCl9Fo0000fd30@hotmail.com>

I'd consider partial obstruction in the stomach. These are easily missed
and if nothing is working it might be worth an exploratory to check for hair
balls in the stomach and if needed take some intestinal and stomach biopsies
to rule out inflammatory bowel disease. I have seen ferrets do this with
partial hairball obstuctions that have been missed but others so anything is
possible and if you son't look you don't know. Good Luck.
Dr. Sue

>From: cakelady@goeaston.net
>Reply-To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
>To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
>Subject: [ferrethealth] need help for snapple
>Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2004 02:56:19 +0100 (BST)
>
>right before Christmas I took in a group of five ferrets.I already had
>three one of which was an extremely aggresive guy.The alpha male of the
>group, Snapple, would fight like crazy with the bully. I let them dook it
>out for a couple of months hoping they would bond, but it never happened. I
>tried to keep them apart but they would always find ways to get to each
>other and start fighting.About a month ago Snapple started acting
>different. He would stay in cage alot stopped playing with the others and
>generally seemed less happy.This progressed over the next week to grinding
>his teeth and mucousy stools.These turned green within a few days and the
>grinding increased.Went to the vets for geriatric ferret, bloodwork and
>urine and x ray.Tests came back normal. But he was dehydrated .Vet gave him
>cephalexin.I Start feeding him baby food with all the trimmings {I read the
>recipes online }He is not happy about any of this.He hates the meds and he
>doesn't want to eat,I have to force the foods into his mouth and give sub q
>fluids and all he does is grind his teeth.He has lost half of his weight
>and does nothing but sleep or lay with his eyes open. I feel he is very
>depressed.I called the vet and told him that he was not responding to meds
>and treatment, so he puts him on ampicillian,biaxin and carafate. It's been
>10 days and he continues to get worse. He doesn't want to eat,the only way
>I can get food into him is to scruff him and when I pick him up he just
>starts to grind so hard.I look in his little eyes and all I see is pain and
>it is making Me sick.My big problem is that I work 10 to 12 hours a day so
>this is a problem with small feedings and a regular routine.His stomach is
>not distended in fact he is so thinyou can feel every bone. He really acts
>like he doesn't want to get better. I have seperated the groups by dividing
>my house in half and keeping the bully from getting to him . I don't know
>what else to do to turn this around. His stools have not been normal for
>over a month now, andthey are still flat,seedy and change from green to
>gray to beige,but never getting firm. I am treating this as helicobacter
>but could it be something else?{ He has not had ANY bloody or dark tarry
>stools.}
>
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>--
>If you want to share pictures, use the calendar, or start a vote
>visit http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
>
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