From:
autumn_whispers2me
Date: 2005-01-23 02:02:34 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Mystery Infection
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <20050123020234.26125.qmail@web54508.mail.yahoo.com>
I am not a vet or a health care professional of any kind, but I wanted to ask if your vet saw anything in Shadow's prognosis that would point to his not getting any better ever? If there is a chance, even a small one, that he *could* get better, then I think (only my opinion here) that he would be worth trying to save. If he's eager for his food then he's not given up totally yet.
One of my ferrets who has been sick with a "mystery illness" is VERY slow in recovering, but... he is recovering. If I had only given him a few days before deciding to let him go---it would have been a terrible mistake. To let you know how severe his symptoms were---he had lost over half his weight, would not eat, slept all the time, and looked for all practical purposes like he was at death's door, even in his eyes. initial blood work made his vet (both at the clinic) believe he may have lymphoma and chronic renal failure (kidney failure), and at first they also considered possible insulinoma. The only thing he was diagnosed with for sure was ulcers (bleeding).
The recovery, as I mentioned has been extremely slow, but even though he's not back to his usual self just yet each week he's a little closer to how he was prior to this mysterious illness, and by mysterious I mean they only know his lymph glands around his neck are still swollen and the third labs showed everything back to normal mostly but for one value that indicated infection. He has a long way to go and is still on his chicken gravy and A/D. He sleeps a lot and still has some pain associated with the ulcers that are still being treated.
Please think carefully before giving up. I understand that if your baby is in terrible pain for long periods of time, if quality of life is just non-existent and will remain so that letting him go would make perfect sense. But what if? I would ask your vet point blank, no beating around the bush what they think Shadow's prognosis is. Then, if you can, get a second opinion. Not to 'second guess' your regular vet, but to be sure that letting Shadow go is the right and humane thing to do.
Thoughts and prayers are with you and Shadow.
Yoehle@AOL.Com wrote:
I am brand new to the board and am here to get some opinions on a problem my 2/3 yo male sable. Shadow was taken to the vet after 2 days of increasing lethargy. Upon exam vet feels mass in abdomen, xray reveals something in liver/spleen area, ultrasound reveals enlarged spleen, enlarged rt. adrenal gland, and small cyst in kidney - nothing cancerous. Vet administered a steroid injection and said to call in AM if not better. In AM Shadow is almost completely unresponsive and was taken back to vet. Upon examination two swellings on either side of neck were found that were not there the day before. Vet aspirates both and finds bloody-pus fluid. Looks at a slide of the fluid and finds no cancer cells but nothing he has seen before, contacts specialist and he says possibly viral infection. Vet keeps Shadow overnight and gives sub-q fluids(Normosol) and sub-q Baytril 10%. Shadow also had a fever of 105. This AM his temp is normal and one of the swellings is almost gone but the other is
still severely swollen. Fluid was sent to lab for C & S, due back mid-week. Has anyone experienced anything like this or heard of someone else experiencing this? If Shadow is not better by Monday, will probably have him put to sleep. He is still completely lethargic, force feeding with S.D. AD (which he laps right up)and taking water well too. Is it possible for one that seems so sick to me to recover from something like this. Please respond - I'm desparate! Thank you in advance - Lori
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