From:
warriormare@hotmail.com
Date: 2005-04-21 13:31:19 UTC
Subject: RE: cardiomyopathy/adrenal disease
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1379680.1114090279571.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Hi
This is an update on Harry. I need help!!! I dont' know how to make this =
short! It was decided Harry had an enlarged heart and so adrenal surgery w=
as cancelled and he was given both a melatonin implant and lupron. The nex=
t morning at home he suddenly fell over while walking across the floor and =
didn't seem to be able to use his right hind leg. As this was at 6 am and =
too early to contact a vet, I sent an email to ferrethealthlist. Sukie tho=
ught it was probably a thrombosis. I talked to a local vet (there are no f=
erret vets here!) and the vet up near DC where I had taken him the day befo=
re. The vet there is in high demand, people drive hours for him to see the=
ir ferrets. He is highly respected, and speaks often on adrenal disease an=
d cardiomyopathy. I say that to say - he is good! Both vets told me to ch=
eck for a pulse, to see if his foot was cold, etc. There was a pulse, and =
his foot was nice and warm. He just couldn't walk. To me it seemed more l=
ike an injury but he was just walking when it happened. Harry is a big guy=
with a HUGE belly. Everyone always comments on his belly, which he has ha=
d since small (I got him at 6 weeks from MF). Anyway, toward the end of the=
day which was Friday he was still not walking so I took him to a local vet=
. This vet thought Harry had severe insulanoma, and that it was so bad tha=
t he was not only weak in his hind end, but practically couldn't use his on=
e leg. I really didn't agree with this as he had just had his glucose chec=
ked and it was fine, and Harry has always been weak in his hind end, maybe =
because of his belly. But I was desperate. This vet checked several thing=
s and said it was not a thrombosis. He thought if it wasn't the insulanoma=
it was another tumor causing nerve problems. So I called the vet in DC aga=
in, told him this vet said surgery was our best bet and worth the risk, he =
said fine, schedule. So Monday Harry and I trekked the 3 hrs back up, and =
he had adrenal surgery. NO insulanoma tumor was found, his glucose was sti=
ll normal. Unfortunately, this vet is in such demand that he is super busy,=
and I feel kind of lost. He coudln't tell what was wrong with his leg, his=
xray was normal, and he saw no sign of a clot. OK, three days later Harry=
is finally seeming to feel better from the surgery, and he got through it =
fine, heart and all. But, he is still unable to walk on that leg. Sometim=
es he will put a ton of effort in to it and hike it up and sort of hobble a=
round. He doesn't want to come out and he hides and he doesn't want to eat =
unless it's 100% gerber turkey on my finger only. But - if I put my hand u=
nder his belly, HE CAN WALK FINE!!!! A bit of a limp, but fine. I just lo=
st my pug dog 2 weeks ago - and she had disc disease, and had to use a rear=
end harness to walk. This is TOO Much like that!!! Any help would be appr=
eciated! LIke I said, there are no ferret knowledgeable vets here, and the =
one we went to is 3 hrs away. Thanks Mare =
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