From:
angela@ort.org
Date: 2005-05-25 08:26:59 UTC
Subject: RE: Poss. Toxoplasmosis
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <557380.1117009619885.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
> Was the ferret around cat feces or was raw food which may have been infected eaten?
> >I would also treat with Pred to help with the nervous system
> >signs. This is contraindicated with fungal and toxo.
> As someone who has twice had neurological illnesses (25 years apart) affecting limbs I can tell you that even among us humans the cause is often not found so you treat the symptoms in humans in that case: PT, range of motion, braces, etc.
Hi Suki
Being around cat faeces is a possibility, v. occasionally a neighbours cat defecates in our garden and I would take the ferrets around on a leash. However, although I would clear up the faeces who knows what's left behind. Raw food is a possiblity - my ferrets are fed raw, but Bailey prefers kibble and only lightly nibbles raw food.
The first incidence of this occured about 1.5 years ago (I used to walk him in some fields with cows, horses, dogs + other British wildlife being around - I don't know if it's connected). When Bailey suffered severe bacterial (poss. encephalitis) type symptoms - but he recovered well and stayed well for about a year before succumbing slowly.
It would be nice to have name for whatever Bailey is suffering from, but as you said sometimes you can only treat the symptoms.
My vet prefers to treat cautiously and has also suggested Pred as a last resort.