Message Number: FHL2809 | New FHL Archives Search
From: ferrethealer@aol.com
Date: 2007-10-24 15:27:02 UTC
Subject: Spay/Neuter protocols Re: [ferrethealth] Digest Number 943
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com


In a message dated 10/24/07 5:37:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com writes:

I received a call today from a shelter mom who had an experienced
ferret vet (also experienced in ferret spay/neuter) lose the 2nd
ferret from the major rescue today. the first was a young male just
going into rut and the 2nd was a young jill about 2 months younger
than the hob. I was told the vet uses iso and does give them a shot
for pain - she was not completely clear if it was before or after, but
she left me with the impression it was before. I was told the vet was
interested in the protocol for other spay/neuters, so I am asking. My
vet never mentioned pain meds for mine and I have not heard of anyone
else using them. SO, is it the pain meds that may be interacting with
the gas?

**Without knowing what drug was used, can't really answer that, but if this
vet is experienced in ferret medicine, it is unlikely that that is the case. I
use metacam orally before anesthesia for the majority of my ferret surgeries,
followed by butorphanol injections post-op if the ferret seems to be
uncomfortable (usually the metacam is all that is needed). I have been using pain
medication for my ferret surgeries for years, just as I do in dogs and cats, and
IMO, any vet that is not using pain medication should start to immediately! I
think the animals recover much more readily when their pain is controlled,
just as we humans do.

It is possible that the ferrets simply had an allergic reaction to the
anesthesia, unfortunately, which cannot be predicted beforehand. Also, do you know
if the ferrets were screened for heartworm disease? Unless the necropsy was
very, very thorough, one heartworm might have been missed, but could easily
have ended up causing the deaths. Were vaccines administered at the same time as
surgery? Were any other treatments (ear mite meds, etc) given? Had the
ferrets been checked/treated for intestinal parasites? How was the induction done
- were the ferrets held in a mask, which can be stressful for these guys, or
induced in a tank, which would reduce the stress from handling? Lots of
questions, and unfortunately, there may be no real answers.

Most of my ferret patients are given their pain meds, then induced by mask -
but the rescue kids were all placed in an induction tank to minimize the
stress of handling. None of the ones I've done so far have had any problems.
Hopefully the few I have left to do won't either.**

Dr. Ruth

*****************************************
Save lives - spay or neuter your pet.



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