From:
"clfixico"
Date: 2007-03-10 06:57:04 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Need additional help please with chronic diarrhea/anorexia!
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
We have been dealing with chronic diarrhea in our ferret, Ben,
for about a year and a half now. During the first few months we
tried a few different things: fecals were negative, little response
to amoxi and metronidazole, some response to initial course of albon
(but successive courses produced less response). Exploratory
surgery was done, no insulinomas or adrenal tumors were obvious--
there were some liver abnormalities seen so liver biopsy samples
were submitted. Nothing was really found except mild inflamation,
IBD was mentioned as a cause of the symptoms. Blood work was
apparently unremarkable, but he did have low blood glucose and Pred.
was started at .2mg BID. He has tested negative for Aleutian's Dz.
He had a few episodes of diarrhea for several days as well as
anorexia over the next several months, but he would always improve
after a few days with a few doses of Pepto and additional feedings
of a/d and chicken baby food.
The last two months, however, his diarrhea has been unstoppable
and he hasn't eaten hardly anything on his own in about two weeks
(we are feeding him). We've tried Pepto, Pepcid, an additional
fecal (including giardia test) was negative, we also started SMZ
TMP, increasing the Pred to .6mg BID, we have tried all of his
formerly favorite foods and he won't have anything to do with any of
them. He doesn't even act very hungry. We are feeding him an a/d
and chicken baby food soup several times a day, but it's not keeping
his weight up. His stool is not formed at all, and is usually a
dark reddish brown. He doesn't act particularly weak, but he seems
to also have no interest in playing or exploring lately either.
I would appreciate any additional advice--both vets he has seen
don't know what more to try. Should he have more blood work, etc.?
Are there other medications we should try? I do not want to see him
just keep wasting away.
Thank you
Christine & Ben
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