From:
DaveGaines@aol.com
Date: 2005-08-21 23:18:11 UTC
Subject: Re: Slow Heart Rate - any drugs available?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <e3.1a182efd.303a65b3@aol.com>
Last year I had a ferret with similar symptoms. I had to rush him to the
local emergency clinic and, after an ultrasound, he was diagnosed with
cardiomyopathy; specifically bradycardia (super slow heart rate, which is rather rare in
ferrets), and then a veterinary cardiology specialist diagnosed him with a 3rd
degree heart block. The heart block was apparently caused by an infection,
which originated up in his mouth by way of gingivitis........does your ferret
have gingivitis, and has it been treated? This is so important.
In any event, the bradycardia disappeared after several doses of an
antibiotic over a 24 hour period (I forget the name of the antibiotic - your vet or a
veterinary cardiologist near you will know) and his heart rate went back up to
normal.
This is what the vet said about the ultrasound: "The ultrasound revealed
third degree heart block and some changes to the aortic valve of the heart.
Infection of the endocardium or myocardium needs to be considered." She also
thought an atropine test might possibly be needed (it wasn't necessary, as it
turned out).
This is what the cardiologist said about the ultrasound: "Third degree heart
block noted. Aortic valve appears abnormal. Consider
endocarditis/myocarditis."
Apparently bradycardia in ferrets is exceedingly rare. The vet at the
emergency clinic said she had never in her time practicing ever seen a ferret that
presented a super slow heart rate. In any event, I got a lot of good info from
Bruce Williams' article on cardiomyopathy at
www.miamiferret.org/fhc/cardiomyopathy.htm and from this group's archives at
www.smartgroups.com/vault/ferrethealth/heartblock.txt
Good luck!
DG