From:
Pam Sessoms
Date: 2004-06-30 18:51:29 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Amlodipine Dose for Ferret?
To: Ardith <quilt4u@reno.quik.com>
cc: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <Pine.A41.4.44+UNC.0406301424180.61584-100000@login7.isis.unc.edu>
Ardith,
My Pumpkin has advanced cardiomyopathy and chronic kidney failure, which
is a crappy combination, but your message caught my eye since it sounds
like your guy has much the same situation. Pumpkin also has adrenal and
insulinoma, but those don't give us much trouble. I don't have any
experience with Amlodipine, but we are using benazepril (Lotensin is the
brand name we're using) as one of his meds. I think Dr. Sue suggested
this as one possibility; just wanted to confirm that it seems to work for
at least my guy. I don't know how bad your guy's kidneys are yet, but
Pumpkin's creatinines are always high and his BUN is typically just out of
the normal range. His urine is like water. He's had both of these
conditions (crf and cardio) for nearly a year now and is still doing
pretty well.
We are managing Punkie with lasix (injectable works much better for him
than oral for some reason) at 2 mg three times a day, plus the Lotensin
every other day (I can look up a dose if interested), and Spironolactone
(mild diuretic and androgen blocker, seems to help him a lot). Pepcid
when needed. As complementary things, he gets CoQ10, taurine,
L-carnitine, and hawthorn (skip the hawthorn if using Digoxin). He also
gets Tumil-K to supplement potassium; all the lasix has caused potassium
depletion. We also use Nitro paste if he coughs, usually about once or
twice a month, although we used it more frequently when he was first
diagnosed, in order to get him cleared out. Fluids are our big balancing
act. He needs extra because of his kidneys, but with a bad heart, it's
easy to drown him. So, he gets 1/3 cup of very very very watery chicken
gravy three times a day, and at the same time, while he's drinking that,
he gets a lasix shot that he doesn't react to at all.
All of this seems to work pretty well and Punkie is still quite bright and
active. Of course, it's kind of high maintenance, and the routine needs
tinkering at times. He also gets monthly blood work to check kidney
values, hematocrit, and potassium levels. I spend about 15 minutes three
times a day mixing up and giving Punkie's meds and food. All of his meds
besides the injectable lasix get mixed with chicken gravy, so he doesn't
even know he's getting them. I'm not going to know what to do with myself
after he's gone.
So far, Pumpkin is not on digoxin, although I formerly had another cardio
ferret do well one it; as others have indicated, with Digoxin, the key is
monitoring blood tests to be sure you're actually getting a therapeutic
dose but not getting a toxic dose. If you wind up going with Digoxin,
always be consistent with giving Digoxin either with or without food,
since that will impact the absorption and blood levesl of the drug. I
gave it with food and we gradually scaled up to a much higher dose than we
thought we would need in order to get to a therapeutic range on the blood
test, probably because of giving it with food.
Good luck, and best wishes,
-Pam S.