Message Number: SG12748 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Marissa Bonasia
Date: 2005-02-13 03:16:57 UTC
Subject: Hiccups
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-id: <420EC6A9.8030608@marissanet.com>

Hello,
I would really appreciate if anyone can relate any similar experiences
or something I may be missing here with my ferret, Snagglepuss. Over
the last 2 weeks, he has had some episodes of gagging (4x noticed in the
2 week period). He also has been sleeping for longer durations. At
times, he seems slightly "out of it" and will lay flat and lip smack a
bit which seems to indicate nausea or ulcers? He is eliminating
normally, is playful and alert most of the time he is awake, is stealing
his favorite things, eating and drinking normally (well, he's one of
those picky ferrets who won't wean off the chicken gravy or mushy kibble
after surgery). I am going to try Sukie's trick with the paper bag if
he gets back to his normal self.

He's had a sensitive stomach in the past which we've treated pretty
effectively with carafate. He has had chronic hiccups for the past year
which have waxed and waned with helicobacter treatments. His medical
/surgical history is below. I was wondering if hiccups signified
anything specific in ferrets. His seem to occur on a daily basis over
the last 2 weeks and are episodic lasting several minutes and then
disappear. I was wondering if there was anything else I could do for
him. He looks pretty annoyed/ possibly uncomfortable by them. He just
doesn't seem quite right to me.

Hx as follows:
6 year-old male Marshall Farms ferret
B/L Adrenalectomy (Left in 3/2004, Right in 10/2004)
Partial pancreatectomy x 2 on above dates
Hepatitis upon liver biopsy (10/2004) with 2 courses of treatment
(Panmycin, Flagyl, Pepto).

Meds:
Pred .3 cc 1x per day
Florinef 1/4 tab 2x per day

Just had x-rays/CBC /vet exam done last week by my vet who is great with
ferrets. Findings unremarkable except for elevated ALT which has been
declining since the helicobacter treatment steadily. Sodium/Potassium
ratio was within normal limits as was his fasting blood glucose.
After his vet visit, a 2 week course of carafate 1.0 cc 2x per day
prescribed and .5 cc amoxi 2x per day for possible upset stomach.
I still have one more week of the treatment left, but wondered if anyone
had any ideas.

The other variable is that we also just had new tile/kitchen installed
in the house but I don't think he got into anything because he has been
pretty well-supervised. There has been a lot of noise, people in and
out, and tools, etc. though.

Any thoughts on something I might be missing or something more I could
be doing for him would be helpful.

Thanks in advance!
Marissa