From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2007-05-21 18:20:55 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Vomiting & yellowish diarrhea
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I went back to _Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, 2nd edition_.
Although it is not a tight fit Lawsonia intracellularis, a type of Desulfovibro bacterium
looks like it CAN cause both GI symptoms and Central Nervous System Symptoms, with
most not getting the CNS symptoms which show up in a few of the very worst cases
If the diarrhea becomes green, blood tinged of both it is a better match. Also it becomes
mucusy, so that may have not been a standard mucus plug. Lawsonia may be cause of
later Proliferative Bowel Disease.
Notes are from the book:
Diagnosis: grossly enlarged, palpable colon
biopsy reveals hyperplastic mucosa
silver stain demonstrated organism in apical portion of epithelium
some have some calcificiation of extraintestinal tissue which can been seen on x-ray
Treatment: broad spectrum antibiotics such as chloramphenicol plus gentamicin along
with fluid therapy but if it is not hard hitting there is high rate of recurrence, so the text
mentions:
1. Chloramphenicol intramuscularly, subcu, or orally 25 to 50 mg/pound (Yes, it says
pound instead of kg.)twice daily for 10 to 14 days which worked much better and resulted
not only in remission of the disease but also regression of the lesions. Using a
compounding pharmacy is suggested.
2. Another treatment which has also had success is oral metronidazole at 20 mg/kg twice
a day for 10 to 14 days.
3. No matter which therapy is used *IF* this disease is present subcu fluids, and amino
acid and caloric supplementation is often needed. The death rate can be high without
treatment.
Hopefully, it is not this, but if it is now your vet will know what to look for and what to try.
If your vet has this vet text the pages are:
335-339
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