From:
"Sue Liszewski"
Date: 2006-12-18 13:33:22 UTC
Subject: RE: [ferrethealth] VERY SICK FERRET! NEEDING ASSISTANCE!
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
SOunds like serious IBD with gastric ulcer or if it is worst case scenario
lymphoma. Fluid therapy essential, pred but you may need to start with
injectable for a while, Biaxin and Amoxi and Carafate for at least 2 weeks.
Diagnosis is surgical biopsy. I have also used Barium once or twice. It is
an xray contrast but I use it to coat the entire tract to help them feel
better. His whole tract is torn up and peeling off, this is painful and you
wouldn't want to eat either. No metacam with dex or pred. Try
buprenorphine ask the vet. His GI tract needs to rest and heal. So
sometimes hospitalization, IV fluids with Dextrose to keep his sugar up, and
a fast with Barium to coat his track, and injectable meds to get him started
then work torward the rest once he starts to heal again. The grinding is
pain, it could be all from the GI tract and not heliobactor but the
treatment won't hurt so you may want to try anyway. Best of luck to you and
your little one. Hope you find a way to get him thru this.
Dr. Sue
>From: "Mike" <isignasl@asl.clearwire.net>
>Reply-To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
>To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [ferrethealth] VERY SICK FERRET! NEEDING ASSISTANCE!
>Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 03:41:01 -0000
>
>First off, greetings to one and all out there!
>
>Here's what's up: a good friend of mine has two ferrets (Chester and
>Maggie). Chester is a four year old ferret who, for the past few
>months, has been having a series of fairly bad problems going on. We
>have taken him to Dr.[Name removed as per rules] (highly kown ferret vet in
>N.E.
>Florida) and he was unable to figure anything out. He finally
>reccomended that we take him down to the [Name removed as per rules]
>Hospital
> to see if they came up with anything. --So,
>several thousand dollars and a few months later, we have come up
>with SQUAT! Following are the symptoms:
>
>-Constant diarreah (we're keeping fluids in him by both him drinking
>by himself, and an occasional sub-q (IV) fluid injection)
>-severe loss of weight! (we're talking that he's currently about
>800kg or less)!!
>-lack of desire to eat a whole lot
>-difficulty chewing when he does eat (takes a bit of food in mouth,
>then next thing you hear after crunching, is almost a grinding of
>his teeth on the right side only)
>-definite lack of energy
>
>--we've been giving him darn near anything he'll eat (even fiberous
>snacks/crackers to try to help his diarreah)... We give him pieces
>of ham lunch meat coated in egg protein powder. We have started
>using a medication called "Carafate", in combination with a liquid
>suppliment called "muscle milk". This combo seems to help him, but
>only a VERY minute amount.
>
>I don't know what else the vets here, or in Gainesville, can do
>other than what has already been done. They have used/run darn near
>every test there is to figure this out, with no results!
>
>
>The following is as good a history of Chester and the current
>problems he is facing, as could be compiled:
>
>-- Diarrhea first started on 6/28/06. Antibiotics saw a brief
>increase in stool firmness, which later returned to mushy (within
>about 48 hrs).
>
>-- 9/9/2006 - carrier was knocked over by accident with Chester
>inside. 2 days later, started pawing at mouth, refused fluids, began
>grinding of teeth (mainly on right side). Xrays showed potential
>ostiomyolitis (bone infection within mouth/jaw region). Was given
>valium and clendomiosyn...again improvement fluctuated.
>
>--Mouth pain was still present after 2 weeks...hydration was also
>still an issue (but now more serious). Was reffered by Dr. [Name removed as
>per rules] to the [Name removed as per rules] Hospital at this time
>for further treatment options.
>
>-- Hospital: Full xrays showed no inflamation, nothing out of
>ordinary
>
>-- Antibiotic therapy was tried including: -amoxicillin,
>metronitozol, meloxicam (anti-inflam.), prednisone, famotidine (acid
>reducer), pancrezyne, psyllium.
>
>-- Laboratory tests were as follows: 4 CBCs (first showed moderate
>liver enzyme elevation; later 3 tests showed normal). Blood glucose
>ranges were at acceptable levels. Fecal flotation was negative.
>Direct smear was negative. Electron microscopy was negative...no
>virus particles.
>
>-- Was released from Hospital on 11/23/06. At this time,
>condition was improved... Soon after, however, he refused intake of
>supplements and thereby began redeterriation of condition from there.
>
>-- About 1 week later: back to Dr. Suggested use of Carrafate
>and a general ultrasound. Results = intestines, heart, lungs, and
>liver were clear and free of any abnormalities.
>
>-- Use of carrafate yielded decent results (slight increase in
>food/liquids intake), but still not enough to yield good results.
>
>-- Foods Chester has been offered and will eat little to none of
>include:
>..Duck soup (hates it--will not touch)
>..A/D (won't touch or even sniff it)
>..Chicken, turkey--cooked/raw (sniffs but won't eat)
>..Ensure (will drink)
>..Cheerios (sometimes...gets tired of stuff real quick)
>..Whipped cream (suggested by Dr. -- will eat some)
>..Strawberry yogurt (does enjoy...but again won't eat a lot of)
>..Meat babyfoods (tried general variety...won't eat)
>..Marshall Ferret food (will eat some times)
>..Dried cat food (will eat...steals from cat LOL...)
>..Bannana flavored baby cereal (won't eat)
>
>-- Has been looking bad the last several days. Today, 12/17, he does
>look a bit better...but still no big improvement. In general, any
>attempts to help him (give sub-q IV fluids, or wrapping in warm
>towels to cuddle or sleep in, etc.), Chester fights againts
>(generally involving the shooting of dirty looks, and running under
>the couch).
>
>IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS FERRETS WHO ARE, OR HAVE, EXPERIENCED THE
>SAME COMBO OF ISSUES MENTIONED ABOVE, AND HAVE SUCCESSFULLY TREATED,
>OR FIGURED OUT WHAT IS WRONG, PLEASE EMAIL ME OR POST ON THIS
>MESSAGE! I don't know how much longer he can last, and his human is
>not all that happy either
>
_________________________________________________________________
View Athletes Collections with Live Search
http://sportmaps.live.com/index.html?source=hmemailtaglinenov06&FORM=MGAC01
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
mailto:ferrethealth-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ferrethealth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/