From:
"Carol Owens"
Date: 2004-06-20 14:58:24 UTC
Subject: Cryptococcus
To: "ferret health list" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <ENEEJMNBHCJKCHHNGNDDIEKDCJAA.queenbee@gain.com>
What would be the ultimate outcome of a cryptococcus infection in a ferret?
Our shelter received a female ferret last January that was sneezing and
blowing snot all the time. She would try to wipe it off in the litter
(regular cat clay litter or wood pellets) and have a clump on her nose that
would have to be soaked and removed each day. The infection was only on the
right side. Ferret Friends is a small shelter and rescue group and we just
have some individuals take the ferrets in to our homes, and this ferret was
with someone who didn't think much of the problem and didn't have the fuzzie
seen by a vet. After a few months I ended up with the ferret. A few weeks
later the problem got much worse, she was really blowing snot. Then one day
she was walking with her head tilted. Later that day she was going in
circles and falling over. I took her to the vet, a clinic that sees a lot of
ferrets. After the first visit Baytril was administered. She ate a little
more gravy I had been feeding but next day was worse and she died in the
waiting room. No culture was done afterwards. I just buried her.
Questions-
1. Could this have been cured if caught sooner?
2. Any chance her two other cagemates may still get it? So far they are both
ok.
3. How is this different from cryptosporidium, which I heard lots about
while living near Milwaukee when there was an outbreak in the city water
from feedlot runoff?
4. Could this have been the fungus that produced open lesions all over a
male that was found and was so sick with pneumonia and abcesses the vet
recommended putting it down. Necropsy was done but I think the report just
said it was fungus and didn't say what kind.
Thanks for any answers to this problem. This list is great.
Carol O. Ferret Friends
Tucson, AZ