From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2007-11-20 22:45:46 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Pneumonia on x-ray but no symptoms?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Pneumonia and even pleurisy can occur in a ferret without distinct symptoms and without
the chest sounding like they are there. We have been there, too.
If the chest if too cloudy/opaque to see clearly then an ultrasound will determine is there
might be something besides pneumonia going on, but it sounds like you really are dealing
w pneumonia which can be pretty impossible to find in a ferret except w chest imaging --
that isn't unusual in our little furries, I'm afraid.
Dilated (hyperplastic) cardiomyopathy tends to show up on x-ray as long as it is not really
early. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy often needs ultrasound to be found. There are other
problems like A/V node block which can require EKG/ECG.
It would be good to have a Chem Panel on that ferret in addition to the CBC. Even more
important after what you describe would be having glucose levels and having electrolyte
levels, esp. sodium and potassium to know if the ferret needs some Percortin and Pred, or
some Fludrocort/Florinef and Pred. I think it would be good for you to read about
Addisons so here is a good place to start:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/addisons.htm
also the easily searched FHL Archives (addy in my sig lines).
You also need to know the current blood sugar levels.
We have also had a ferret whose hormonal levels went up from a non-standard adrenal
problem, in his case vascular malformations on the left. It is rare, but it can happen once
someone has had ferrets long enough, or simply beats the odds.
One topic which recently same up was using an injected form of time release Pred for
those ferrets who can't tolerate oral Pred. See posts on Depo-medrol.
Also, if the liver is at all compromised Prednisolone works better than Prednisone since
normally the liver has to convert Prednisone to Prednisolone to utilize it. So, removing
that step allows for effective dosing w less med.
I really think that you need to treat the lung infection but run testing those electrolyte
levels past your vet (which might not be done yet if the vet gave Percortin automatically),
and run testing the blood glucose levels past your vet.
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
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
mailto:ferrethealth-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ferrethealth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/