From:
tlcoffey@sbcglobal.net
Date: 2006-02-07 02:06:13 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Teddy is running out of time, Can anyone help?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
I posted a couple of months ago about Teddy and I found everyone very kind and helpful. (This turned out kind of long so please be patient) To bring everyone up to speed. He is a German/American that will be 7 in July. Teddy has been doing fine for years. Over the past year, he has had repeated bouts of diarrhea - sometimes nothing but bright green slimy looking stuff, sometimes it was amost nothing but blood. He has random bouts of vomiting (mostly foam) and occassional wheezy episodes that almost sound asthmatic that last for 10-15 seconds and then seems to leave him exhausted.
When I first posted, I thought it might be an intestinal blockage. We had been using the silicone litter crystal and I noticed that he was passing litter crystals in his stool. However, we quit using that back in September/October and it hasn't seemed to make any difference in his condition.
He eats but not enough. He has gone from 5 1/2 pounds to about 1 1/2 pounds. I've tried all of the ferret remedies like Duck Soup, etc. I have tried all of the suggestions that everyone emailed last time I posted. He won't touch it. He has become so picky that he eat will only eat small amounts of breakfast ceral like Fruit Loops and Captain Crunch, Nutrical mixed with ground EVO kitten food and sometimes the Evo Kitten food or his regular ferret food but even then, not much.
The vet did a barium xray about 2 weeks ago and it showed was that his digestive tract appears to be having severe spams because the barium was in and out in about 15-20 minutes. When I feed him, I can feel and hear his stomach and intestines spasm. Xrays don't show anything suspicious, his heart and lungs are clear, and his blood work seems OK. No cancer. No foreign bodies. His food is literally in one end and out the other so fast, he isn't getting much nutrition.
I just picked him up from another lengthy stay at the vet because he had some sort of abcess on his back leg. The knot came up suddenly and without any noticable injury. Although the infection has cleared up,he has very little use of that back leg which, as weak as he has become, means that he really can't get around. She does think that he is getting a little more use of it but the nerve responses are poor. She sent him home with prednisone, antibiotics and an antidiahrreal. His spirits have always been good and he's alert.
I purchased him from Kevin Gilbert, a breeder who used to live in Cave Creek, AZ. His breeding operation used to go by the name of Desert Moon Ferrets. I don't know if he is even still breeding. In case he sold his breeders, Teddy's parents were named Bear and Shadow. I wanted to know about his parents health history because maybe it would help.
At this point, I'm desperate because Teddy is quickly running out of time and unless someone can help us figure this out, his options seem to be either slowly wasting away or being put to sleep. Can you help us?
Teresa
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