From:
"Ardith"
Date: 2007-07-10 18:56:00 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Loss of balance
To: <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
Last December I picked up a very young ferret from our local AC shelter.
His care taker stated he might have been injured as he was falling over and could not get in the low hammy provided.
Took him to my vet that day. X-rays showed nothing abnormal.
In house BG normal, as was that sent out.
The only thing off was a elevated white cell count and lymphocytes.
Bailey was started on baytryl and clavamox in case there was infection somewhere.
Bailey ate well, no other symptoms other than the loss of balance continued.
In March we repeated blood work as the loss of balance seemed worse.
White cell and lymphocytes less elevated.
Repeated round of antibiotics in case of smoldering infection.
There has never been any diarrhea or vomiting.
Two weeks ago Bailey had sudden weight loss, still eating well.
One morning he could not keep his feet/legs where they needed to be, seemed disoriented and was dehydrated.
Put on IV fluids, by that evening he was eating on his own, still off balance.
Repeated blood work.
This time the neutrophils are mildly elevated, the overall white cells and hematocrite slightly elevated probably due to dehydration.
Total protein and albumin are low.
ALT is 880
AST 285
Both very high
ALKP normal.
My vet ran a bile acids resting level on Bailey and one of my healthy ferrets to compare values.
Bailey 21.4
Healthy ferret 7.2
My vet is not ruling out juvenile lymphoma, but is leaning more towards infection in the liver, possibly ascending from the GI tract.
Bailey is now on antibiotics with several hand feedings a day.
This is puzzling as Bailey has no other symptoms pointing to IBD.
We plan on a ultrasound as soon as that vet returns on Thursday.
Mean time, we watch and wait.
Ardith
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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