From:
ferretgm
Date: 2007-11-12 23:06:11 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Still possible blockage
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Ferret ate chicken baby food this morning at 6:30 AM. I am positive that he didn't eat any kibble from about 6PM last night until he was given his baby food in the morning, and obviously, they didn't give him any at the vet's. Vet took a barium x-ray, and said stomach full of 'homogeneous material".
On x-ray, there appeared to be stool periodically through bowel. Stool normal, although somewhat mucous-y (fairly normal for him - I find that the baby food tends to do that, and he typically eats 1/3 to 1/2 a jar twice a day). Couldn't find any obvious blockage. Has abdominal tenderness. Organs look normal on xray; spleen not enlarged. He is not dehydrated. He has developed a 'pouch-like' or pear-shaped abdomen in the last 6 weeks. The skin is loose and feels like there's about 1/4 inch of fat on the skin. I thought it was just from losing a little weight due to the changing seasons.
Extreme lethargy continues. There are periods of a few (2 - 3) minutes where he'll open his eyes wide and try to go somewhere or do something, but he then goes flat to the floor and his eyes shut and he'll sometimes almost nose-plant, because he's trying to keep his head up while he's falling asleep/passing out.
Vet is keeping him overnight and will re-x-ray in the morning to see whether there are any partial blockages or obstructions. No bloodwork yet, although he has put him on amoxi.
Given that he didn't have any solid food for 18 hours, and that he'd had no food at all for nine hours before the test, shouldn't his stomach have been clear? Could a partial blockage cause this kind of lethargy? If it were a partial blockage, shouldn't he have been losing weight?
I am desperately hoping that it's a blockage of some sort, and not juvenile lymphoma (he's a little over 2) or heart disease. I suppose it's pointless to speculate, as we'll know in the morning. Probably. But if you think you might know what the matter might be, I'd appreciate hearing it.
Thanks!
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