Message Number: SG18533 | New FHL Archives Search
From: kristeno@neeps-inc.com
Date: 2006-10-25 13:19:19 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Ferret with ulcers not doing very well
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com

I am hoping that someone can give me some advice. My ferret Cheeba has had ulcers multiple times before, especially around the change of seasons. His treatment has always been successful (Amoxi & Carafate). This time seems to be different.

He started showing signs Labor Day weekend. I tried a different method of treatment this time, recommended to me by a vet, treating first with the Carafate alone to control the stomach pain, and then treating with Amoxi and Carafate about 2 weeks later. It didn't work. I took him to my vet last week, and he was prescribed Amoxi (.65 ml 2x a day), Biaxin (.65 ml 2x a day) and Carafate (1 ml 3x a day, 200 mg/ml, compounded with chicken flavor). The vet told me she wanted him to have the carafate on an empty stomach, and she didn't want it to be given at the same time as the other two meds. I've always given Carafate before he eats, so I thought this was kind of odd, but she is a very good vet so I followed her instructions. Here is his meds schedule:

7 am - Carafate
8:30 am - Amoxi, biaxin & prednisolone (he also has insulinoma)
3 pm - Carafate
8:30 pm - Amoxi, biaxin & pred
11 pm - Carafate

He gets baby food twice a day, as I was concerned that the regular duck soup that he used to get wouldn't be bland enough.

After starting treatment, he seemed to improve for a couple days. But now he seems to be going downhill again. Cheeba also has adrenal disease, and is on Lupron for it. I didn't want to put him through surgery given how easily he gets ulcers. In the past week, he has started squeaking when he goes to the bathroom. Sometimes there is a normal amount, other times there is barely anything in the litter box. When we were at the vet last week, an ultrasound was done, and everything looked normal. No prostate enlargement, and his spleen was only slightly enlarged.

So, I guess my questions are:

1) Would you continue this medication schedule, or would you change it?

2) Are there any other underlying medical issues that I should be worrying about?

3) Is there anything you would be doing that I am not doing?





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