From:
Ulrike
Date: 2007-07-23 19:18:16 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Paralysed skunk
To: FHL <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
Moderator's Note: after Uli's request the moderators decided to allow an exception in this case for the post below. If replies clearly can not impart info which may help ferrets, please, send those directly to Uli. If the health info could also help ferrets then feel free to post publicly here.
---
This post is not about a ferret but a skunk... Tyler, 3 years old,
neutered, was always active, playing with some of the ferrets and
running up and down the stairs. In May he suddenly couldn't get up the
stairs anymore, I don't know if it was hind leg weakness or whether it
was just neurological. It did somewhat coincide with him getting into a
box of Fisherman's Friends which contain menthol, eucalyptus oil and
liquorice powder.
Then he became unsteady on his feet, approx. end of May and in June, he
would stumble over uneven ground and even fall on his side
occasionally. In June my vets sent bloods off and did x-rays and all
came back normal. Bone density was fine.
This month his walking/ ataxia became worse and he walked very
unsteadily and fell over more. On the 10th I took him to an exotics
specialist who visits a sort of local vet practice twice a week. After
an hour he confirmed what I was thinking, that it was a neurological
problem. He took blood and tested for toxoplasmosis and 2 other
parasites that can cause neurological symptoms. Tyler tested negative
for two of the parasites but had antibodies to toxoplasmosis but we
still don't know whether the toxoplasmosis is causing the problems. ADV
crossed my mind but the protein electrophoresis results were normal, no
raised gammaglobulins, TP was within normal range and the vet said that
he would expect Tyler to be more sick if it was ADV. Still, saying
that, he didn't dismiss ADV completely.
He was started on clindamycin for possible toxoplasmosis and on pred on
Tuesday the 17th. He had deteriorated between the 13th and 16th, over
that weekend he could only crawl with progressing difficulty and by the
17th he was paralysed. So far the pred and antibiotics haven't worked.
The vet palpated and manipulated his head, neck, spine and abdomen and
Tyler shows no pain at all. He can hold his head up and look around.
He can also raise/ move his tail a little. He holds his urine and
faeces. I put him into the litter tray throughout the day and also
during the night and he does his business then. Only a few times have I
been too late and he soiled his bed. Appetite is fine. No fever. He
can still scratch himself with the back legs so this reflex or what it
is still works, and often stretches the front legs out down towards his
tail or he covers his face with his paws.
Peppy, the other skunk, is fine. Both eat the same foods, a variety of
fresh and frozen vegetables, chicken, turkey, some egg yolk, nuts and
fruit occasionally. All raw. Some fish oil and vitamin E added
sometimes, some lecithin, nutritional yeast, taurine, they also used to
get a bit of powdered kelp.
It just doesn't make sense to me, I have been searching the Internet so
much but what illness is so slow and leads to paralysis, and of course
I'm worried what'll happen next. Tyler is my special boy and I can't
imagine being without him. He is not in pain, alert, so at the moment
euthanasia is out of the question. I thought of acupuncture next to try
and help. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Ulrike
ferretlove.uk@googlemail.com
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