From:
jtfernald@earthlink.net
Date: 2004-07-04 21:56:27 UTC
Subject: High WBC/High fever
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <2830150.1088978187035.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Sid, my 1 1/2 year old has been very sick for the last 8 days. On Monday t=
he 28th, when I got him in to a vet, he had a fever of 104.5 which I suspec=
t he had had for at least one day maybe two). She did tests which showed v=
ery elevated white blood cells (18000) but NOTHING else out of normal range=
s. She gave him an antibiotic injection and sent me home with oral amoxici=
lan and instructions to syringe feed. The next morning he was up to 106. =
She gave him a shot of ketoprofen which brought his fever down to 103.5 but=
roughly for the day and he was right back up to the high 105s by morning. =
Did the same thing Wednesday for treatment but he was no better and I was =
really getting concerned about his hydration, though the vet thought he was=
still ok. On Thursday I took him elsewhere for a second opinion and as a =
result, I found a vet I fell in love with. She spent 45 minutes with me g=
oing over test results and all possible scenarios like viral infection to c=
ancer to a possible reaction to the rabies vac he had at the beginning of J=
une (although it had been about 2 weeks from then until the fever started, =
she thinks it may have lowered his immune system) and the different treatme=
nt and diagnostics. She definitely wanted him on IV fluids and a different=
kind of antibiotic. She was so committed to his care that she even took h=
im home with her Thursday and Friday nights. At one point during the first=
night with her the fever got down as low as 103 then up to 104.5 the next =
morning and since then it has been cyclical between 104 and 105.7. The IV f=
luids were overdue in my opinion, and made a huge difference. He had prett=
y healthy poops almost within hours. He is not a happy or healthy guy and =
euthanasia was put on the table as a consideration. An option I don't want=
to consider since I have never had to make a decision like that before, an=
d I love this little guy so much, but if he is suffering at all... =
=
So, last night she took a chance and gave him a shot of prednisone and whil=
e it didn't really take the fever down much he perked up and actually showe=
d some interest on his own in the food bowl and water, though it didn't amo=
unt to much intake. So, as of today, she gave him another injection and ag=
ain he seemed much more alert and active, so we are giving him a few more d=
ays, hoping that the prednisone she sent me home with will make a differenc=
e. This is his first trip home in a couple of days, and unfortunately the =
clinic is closed Sunday and Monday so he is under my care unless an emergen=
cy hits, He has been holding at about 104 all day which is a subtle improv=
ement but an improvement none the less. =
The only additional info that I can give at this point is that all the bloo=
dwork numbers were within normal ranges except white blood cell count which=
was 18,000. The other numbers I can't remember and I don't have a copy. =
They did not indicate insulinoma, ECE or any other obvious things to rule o=
ut. He has general weakness in his legs but it is most like due to the pro=
longed fever and associated weakness. He does not eat or drink on his own, =
though he will lick ferretvite or water from your fingers. So all of his f=
eeding are forced syringe feedings. He doesn't like it but it gets down hi=
s throat. I have been going slow - about 30 minutes to complete a feeding =
so that he can rest a bit and now get distressed. Since we had him on the =
IV fluids he has been pooping regularly. They aren't bloody or tar-like bu=
t are pretty indicative of the a/d baby food gravy poops. He is pretty ins=
istent about using the little box in the corner and wobbles the six feet ov=
er to it rather than use the one in his temporary cage, and also prefers to=
sleep in the bottom drawer of the bureau and the vet said at this point, l=
et him be where he is comfortable. I took the drawer out so he doesn't hav=
e to climb up and exhaust himself. It is this sort of fighter behavior whi=
ch is giving me hope. =
I have noticed him grinding his teeth a bit more the last 24 hours but I un=
derstand that this is common when they are nauseous (side effect of the pre=
dnisone)? His fever over night was 103.7 at midnight, 104 at 3 am, 105.6 =
at 7:30, at 10am it was down a bit to 104.4 and it is currently (3pm) the s=
ame. He just ate again enthusiastically 20ccs which is his biggest meal in=
a sitting so far.
His meds: =
1/4 5mg prednisone tablet every 12 hours
1/8 1 mg sucralfate tablet 20 minutes before feeding but only 3x in 12hr p=
eriod
.25ml clavamox drops (62.5 mg/ml) every 12 hrs
and I just added 1/8 baby aspirin every 12 hrs
Incidentally I have two other ferrets who are totally fine.
Any info would be appreciated!
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