From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2007-07-22 19:29:14 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: We're off to the vet's Monday Morning
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Kim, I sent this through to you late last night but
since I got nothing back I think it may not have arrived
or may be in your junk mail box.
So, here is what I sent in case any of it may help you.
I do think I was confusing two illnesses last night on
the kidney aspect but have not had a spare moment
to search especially throughly. If you have a copy of
the second edition of _Biology and Diseases of the
Ferret_ that has the most extensive diet section of any
vet text I have.
Last night's direct note to you:
Kim, give him cooked food for a while at least. If he
is already fighting a food borne infection then adding
in other raw food will simply give him more to fight off,
and while he is compromised he may not be able to as
well.
Kibble can be hard on a some sore stomachs so try
things like meat or poultry based baby foods and try
finger feeding to introduce it. Sometimes they will eat
more if sung to (not joking). Just put a towel on your
lap and take your time.
If there is a treat he likes that can be added to water to
make the water especially attractive try that.
Which medical approach will work best will vary with
different types of infections so your vet may need to
adjust the meds if time, his own immune system, and
what is tried don't work. Some types can be hard to
shake and require longer treatment.
Look to see if he has mouth ulcers. That sometimes
can happen. If so -- even though this sounds strange
-- a bit of plain Listerine on a cotton swab held against
the ulceration for a short while will help.
If he has or develops a lot of mouth ulcers or shows
signs of kidney disease such as unconcentrated urine,
etc. then don't wait for Monday since some infections can
attack kidneys and that, too, can cause mouth ulcers.
One rodent borne disease is Leptospirosis and I think that
can attack kidneys, unless exhaustion is getting to me
(entirely possible these days with Dad so sick).
The mention of "fishy" smell sounds familiar but I am not
sure why. I'll see if I say seek something out but can't
promise success.
If they do test for coccidia make sure they test for BOTH
genera -- absolutely essential.
Certainly, non-food infections have to be considered, but
so do food borne ones, including some that can be spread
from an infected ferret.
I am so sorry that you and yours are going through this.
Here is something I had to find for someone else in case
any of the info helps. BTW, with humans and the nastiest
strain of E. coli using some standard antibiotics backfires
and makes the bacterial toxin levels worse. I can't recall
details off hand but the CDC site has them.
Besides E. coli, this will give an idea of things to look up.
>From _Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, 2nd ed._
All of these are known diseases in ferrets
start pg 321
Actinomycosis (lumpy jaw)
rarely reported
immunosuppressed ferrets mentioned as possibly having
increased risk
entry through oral injuries from bone or damaged oral mucuosa,
may also be swallowed or inhaled
sinus tracts with thick, green-yellow material, lung nodules,
swollen nodes w granules on cut surface, abscesses, etc.
Can be fatal
start page 322
Botulism
documented in many fur farms with about 90% death rate
Ferret deaths in England from wild birds with botulism
documented (both in Vet Rec, '69 and '73, with ducks
involved in one case but other not clear from title; also
mention of cases in midwestern U.S.
uncooked or contaminated w soil increases risk rates
Ferrets highly susceptible to A,B,C types
starting page 323
Clostridium perfringens, Type A
not closely studied at that time
marked abdominal distension, excessive gas, diffuse
mucosal necrosis, highly fatal
"organism ubiquitous" "management of diet essential"
start page 324
Campylobacteriosis
linked to diarrhea in ferret (and a number of other animals)
The disease in humans is linked to pets having
undiscovered infections, or poor hygiene when infection is
known
maybe asymptomatic but still present, proliferative colitis,
diarrhea which may be bile streaked, mucus laden, watery,
bloody at times, rectal prolapses, miscarriage by the pregnant,
fecal-oral route, contaminated meat (esp. poultry) and
unpasteurized milk, uncooked poultry
We'll skip Helicobacter as not related to the conversation.
Ditto Lawsonia.
Start page 339
Salmonellosis
I think that this one has been very well covered so will skip it
and trust people to check the archives.
Start page 342
Leptospirosis
passed through rodent urine
contaminated food and immunosuppression mentioned
Start page 343
Mycobacteria
TB, bovine and avian mycobacteria caught from raw foods and
unpasteurized milk esp if ferret immunosuppressed, and M.
kansasii have been mentioned in past FHLs so in the archives
Starting page 347
Yersinia pestis
Not studied in domestic ferrets but it appears that at least some
BFFs can get plague from eating infected prairie dogs and likely
other infected rodents
We'll skip bacterial pneumonia.
We'll skip abscesses.
We'll skip Chlamydia; little know except that it occurs when book
was written.
In viruses it doesn't look like rotaviruses (very nasty in ferrets) is
from food, but
Starting page 370
at the time of that book being written one ferret documented case
of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis Virus from raw tripe
Okay, on to the Parasitic Diseases chapter
We'll skip Coccidia
Start page 380
Toxoplasma can be skipped.
Start page 381
Sarcocystic
from eating infected mice or their fecal contamination, asymptomatic
Start page 382
Cryptosporisiosis
infrequent and inconsequential according to text, raw beef can give it,
sounds like immunosuppression may play a role
Giardia can be skipped
Ectoparasites can be skipped
Start page 388
Helminths
The ones that can infect ferrets include nematodes, 2 round worms
(Toxascaris leonia and T. cati), hookworms (Ancylostoma), cestodes,
tapeworms (Mesocestoides, Ariotaenia procyonis, Dipylidium caninum),
flukes, lung worms (Filarioides martes) and occasionally Spiroptera
nasicola in the frontal sinuses. The intestinal ones can cause diarrhea
but may be silent.
We can skip heart worms but all should read about those in the archives.
Start page 389
Trichinosis
They encyst in the ferret's muscles, esp. the diaphram and are caught
from raw or undercooked infected meats.
Anyway, I hope that helps and am sorry that you and
your little one are going through this.
Please, contact your vet and arrange for an emergency
appointment. That hydration problem and the symptom
worry me and when things have an acute and strong onset
you can't know if the situation is one that will turn for the
better or one which may prove fatal.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
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