From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2007-04-29 18:15:21 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Hilbert's allergy related skin problems
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Okay, let me preface this by stating that Hilbert is unusual.
HIlbert is a 4 year old male with a few (not pronounced) neural crest genetic variant
markings, and is pretty much beige in his darker coloration so he is a dilute.
He is one of our two ferrets who get cystine urinary stones. The other one is also from the
same major farm and is a female about a year younger who has similar neural crest
genetic variation markings but is not a dilute.
Both manage well if their food does not have over 35% protein (Reduction of the C.O.L.A.
grouping of amino acids is needed when ferrets get cystine stones.), and are due for their
periodic x-ray UT examination next month. So, all 5 ferrets here are on about 35% protein
because all are great friends who live together.
In addition, Hilbert had a nasty bladder diverticulum.
Because of that combination Hilbert is a survivor of severe bilateral hydronephrosis. He
managed to avoid a PU (penile amputation and rerouting of the urethra with a new outside
opening) by his vet using cystos (removing the urine by needle which sounds awful but he
appreciated them and he completely adores his vet) until his urethra could go down. He
was so compromised that it took a full year for him to come up to weight and then maybe
6 more months till he became normally active. Now he has become one of our two most
active (the other being the female mentioned above). When his bladder was repaired and
grit removed it was noticed that the pressure of the swollen kidneys on his adrenal glands
had caused both to develop inflammation. The left came out cleanly, but there was too
much bleeding with the right and part of the R adrenal wound up under a vascular clamp
which had to be rapidly placed. As a result, he gets Fludrocort and Prednisolone each
night and does still need them to avoid going Addisonian, but we know there is an off-
chance that he could regrow some adrenal tissue from the right.
Okay, here is where Hilbert gets really unusual: three times now he has lost fur. None of
the times was it adrenal disease although it looks like it. One of the times it became so
irritated that he also developed bacterial dermatitis. We are very careful so he gets the TN
Panel (with the most recent normal results just arriving today) then he gets Lupron Depot
and melatonin implants each time, and I care for his skin with olive oil which greatly
agrees with it while we wait to hear back about the TN Panel. When skin symptoms have
gotten really nasty he also has had skin scrapings and skin biopsies. Antibiotics are used
when needed.
We already know that he reacted to a treat he was getting and the most noticeable
difference between that treat and other things was food dyes, but it is possible something
less prominent was involved, or that he has multiple allergies that affect his skin. The only
detergents used are Free and Clear ones, no fabric softener is used, and no smell covering
items are used. We know the litters being used are not his problem from elimination tests.
Anyway, I wanted to let people know that rare exceptions to "That looks classically
adrenal." exist because Hilly is one, that he is now regrowing part of his lost fur (but may
have too much follicular damage in some other locations), and that Steve and I are on a
search again to try to figure what allergen set off his skin this time after once again
getting back normal TN Panel results.
This is an unusual problem, but the people here include many who are very well
experienced and knowledgeable and might have suggestions from encountering similar
cases about things we should look into as possible triggers for Hilbert's problems.
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