From:
"kazpat1@juno.com"
Date: 2004-07-28 13:08:46 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Meningitis and ivermectin connection?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-Id: <20040728.060941.8178.112806@webmail04.lax.untd.com>
I will let the vet's answer. But from personal experience and quite a few ferrets treated with ivermectin ear drops for the ear mites over quite a few years, not one had a problem.
So don't blame yourself. Ear mite infection, if left untreated can cause a lot of damage to the ear, can cause ear drum rupture and hearing loss in the extreme cases. It has to be treated in my opinion.
I would think meningitis is rare in ferrets, if like humans perhaps more common in the very young, or those with poor immune systems.
It can be viral, bacterial. Rarely fungal and even cancer (like a lymphoma )can get into the central nervous system. Bacterial being the most acute, with high fever, and high White blood cell count,ferret being lethargic, perhaps having neurologic signs and a positive spinal tap is the only way to know 100% for sure. After death, I am not sure what a necropsy would tell you, but I am thinking the brain's meninges would be inflammed or even pus in the brain.
I am sorry for your loss.
Patty
ps. In humans ivermectin can even be used to treat some causes of meningitis that involves parasitic infections
-- "Dr. Deb Sell" <drdeb@thegrid.net> wrote:
My little boy, WingNut, just was PTS due to possible meningitis (he
started convuling etc...normal Blood Glucose). We ran many tests
(blood/xray etc), but here was nothing the vets could do to help him.
The bloodwork was highly suggestive of meningitis as a possibility. I
was online and read about meningitis as related to ear mite treatment
(ivermectin). Wingy had ivermectin for earmites a few months ago.
Any correlation for other folks? Was I giving him a death sentence
treating his earmites?
Any info is much apreciated.
deb and dear wingy.
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