Message Number: SG13291 | New FHL Archives Search
From: "Sue Liszewski"
Date: 2005-04-01 00:24:41 UTC
Subject: RE: [ferrethealth] RE: Menigitis or degenerative problem?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <BAY104-F958FDCDCFEABA850F802CDC380@phx.gbl>

Would he consider doing a spinal tap to get a diagnosis. To continue to try
without knowing may mean that something that should be treated is not being
treated. I understand the hesitancy with steroids due to poss of infection
parasitic, bacterial or even fungal and this could be found with proper
diagnosis. If it is fungal we would be totally missing the boat by treating
for parasites or just inflamm and would make it worse instead of better. I
understand the other route if you cannot afford to have a work up done but
one treatment has the potential to make the another condition worse and you
need to be sure you understand this going in. I hope this helps a bit.

Steroids would be very beneficial for pure inflammatory conditons and poss
for lymphoma (but not for long in the later), if you identify fungal
organsims you have a chance with antifungals but treatment is long and drugs
are expensive, if it is infectious you could try drugs such as TMS or
Chloramphenicol for it crosses the blood brain barrier, and if it is
parasitic there are several possiblities depending on the type there is no
universal one..

Good luck to you.

Dr. Sue

>From: angela@ort.org
>Reply-To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
>To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
>Subject: [ferrethealth] RE: Menigitis or degenerative problem?
>Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 21:18:26 +0100 (BST)
>
>I wrote back to my vet and these are his latest thoughts. I'd be interested
>if anyone else has any comments.
>
> >>I am suspicious that Bailey has some sort of CNS problem rather than a
>metabolic one, the symptoms you describe would point to that. You will
>remember the episode of pyrexia and tender neck area he had in July 2003,
>at the time I was suspicious of a meningitis. Inflammatory conditions of
>the CNS can be due to bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections, or
>non-infectious causes. He appeared to respond to Baytril and Rimadyl, and
>it is interesting that antibiotics alone have again helped even if not
>cured him of symptoms. It might be a long shot, but it would be
>interesting to perhaps investigate parasitic causes, in particular Neospora
>and Toxoplasma. I would be tempted to prescribe a course of potentiated
>sulphonamide (some effect against the parasites I have mentioned, and if
>little response to try some steroid.
>
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>
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