From:
"wendyhairlady"
Date: 2007-01-31 01:12:21 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] 7 1/2 month old male ferret sick for 5 weeks, weight loss runny green stool
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hello Everyone,
My ferret Cho starting showing symtoms 5 weeks ago on christmas. Our vet was out of
town between xmas and new years, so we booked an appointment for January 2.
Cho's first symtoms were a lack of energy, he would walk a few steps then flatten out. His
stool was watery foul smelling green. It did not appear to be mucousy.
Day 1 is the first vet visit even though he was showing symtems for 8 days before.
We started giving Cho pedialyte and checked his scruff for deydration. He had good and
bad days until we brought him to the vet. Cho's stool. tested positive for coccidia so the
vet had us give him Albon 0.5 mls 1x daily. We have 2 other ferrets that were also treated
and NEVER shown any symtems.
Day 2 of the albon Cho seemed worst. He was having frequent watery green smelly stool.
Cho has never lost an interest in his kibble and water. That has been a good sign for us.
We feed him totally ferret active mixed with zupreem.
Day 2 we brought him back to the vet and were told to give him flagyl for 7 days 0.3 ml 2x
daily and also 0.5 ml of pepto bismal 3x daily for 3 days. Xrays were taken and were
negative for an obstuction.
Days 2 - 10 were up and down. Cho never really got much better. Was still lathargic with
runny stool.
Day 14 We called the vet, the vet was out of town and is the only one at that pratice to
treat ferrets. They gave us a referral to another vet.
Day 14 brought Cho to see new vet. Stool was tested (2 different tests) both came back
negative. Cho had a fever of 104 degrees and was feeling really bony with a belly bloat.
He had been gassy since before we put him on antibiotics and is still gasy.
Day 14 we had a blood test taken, the new vet felt Cho had a bacterial infection. We gave
him Amoxi drops 0.4ml 2x daily and baytril 1.0ml 2x daily.
The foul smell cleared up. The stool became seedy and runny combined. I continued to
talk to the vet staff until we had him checked at Day 21. Our vet felt there was
improvement and we should continue the baytril and amoxi and give him carafate 0.25 3x
daily.
Day 24 I felt there was no more improving, maybe decline in what little energy he had. We
brought him back with stool to be looked at and our vet felt he was on the right track.
Day 28 We brought Cho back into the vet after being on amoxi for 14 days alone with
baytril. We brought more stool that didn't improve. In 4 days he droped 0.4 ounces. For
7 days when woked up by being picked up he would wimper. the bloating continued. Our
Vet felt he was getting worst so another blood test was given and more xrays taken. Were
were given more amoxi to give Cho and more flagyl. The same dose as before.
Today day 29 our vet called with sad news. Cho's blood was getting worse. The xray
showed no obstruction but the intestines were so swollen she could not see the kidney.
We were told that Cho probably would not make it thru exploritory surgery because he is
now anemic. An untra sound was recomended to see more, or we could have more test
done on the stool, or try and give fluids and something to regenerate red blood cells.
Long story short our finanical situation is not good. We can't afford any other large bills.
We were told that it could be a blood cancer, or congenital defect. I want to make him as
comforatable as possible and try to do everything in my means to help him.
I brought cho back to the vet earlier today and they showed me how to give sub q fluids,
lactated ringer's 20 to 40 cc every 24 hours, and Epogyn 0.1cc every 48 hours.
We are continuing with the amoxi and flagyl. Our vet does not know exactly what is wrong
with him. If anyone has a recommendation or a possible idea of what could be wrong I
would love to hear it. I also would like to hear if anyone things this is a no win situation. I
don't want to put Cho thru all of this if there isn't a chance of survival. Right now we feel
that when he is in so much pain and no longer has any signs of being alert or any interest
in food we will assist him to the rainbow bridge. He is such a good boy. So young
(birthday 6/11/06). I don't want to wonder "what if". Seeing him so small and under
weight is so sad. After we returned from the vet today cho surprised me. I placed him in
the cage, left it open for them to roam, and Cho surprised me by coming down stairs
looking for me wanting more ferretone.
When we got Cho at 9 weeks old he weighted 2.2. He grew and was our largest and
heaviest ferret out weighting his "brother and sister". His "brother" weighted in at 2.6.
Because we didn't get to the vet right away I don't know what his weight was exactly
before this started. I know it was over 2.6. Now he is 2.2 again. Very underweight.
I make a chicken puree (boiled thighs and then blended them). I know his intestines are
sensitive and I want to try to provide as much protien as possible.
Below are the results from the blood tests. The first test results were done on day 14 and
the second results were done on day 28.
ALB 1.4 G/DL 0.9 g/dl
ALKP 72 U/L 45 U/L
ALT 39 U/L 45 U/L
AST 110 U/L 113 U/L
BUN 56 MG/DL 90 mg/dl
Ca 8.7 MG/DL 8.6 mg/dl
CHOL 131 MG/DL 112 mg/dl
CREA 0.6 MG/DL 0.3 mg/dl
GLU 123 MG/DL 97 mg/dl
PHOS 6.9 MG/DL 9.9 mg/dl
TBIL <0.1 MG/DL <0.1 mg/dl
TP 5.5 G/DL 4.7 g/dl
GLOB 4/1 G/DL 3.8 g/dl
Na 159 mmol/l 161 mmol/l
K 4.9 mmol/l 7.2 mmol/l
Cl 128 mmol/l 137 mmol/l
thank you for taking the time to read this.
Wendy & Cho
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