From:
"myferretmail"
Date: 2008-03-05 16:21:09 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] FUNGAL ORGANISMS CAN KILL your ferret
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
IMPORTANT: Our ferret Sandman loved to dig and root through dirt
with his nose. He would, however, have really bad sneezing fits with
increasing frequency. Then one December, after nearly a month of
steady rain, his nose got stopped up. The rain continued steadily for
over two months.
As the days passed, his nose got so crusted up he could not breathe,
then it moved to the outside =96 of his nose AND mouth. It looked like a
flesh-eating disease, eating away at his nose and upper and lower
lips. Horrible to look at and, no doubt, extremely painful for him.
Seven different vets looked at him before one suggested FUNGAL. After
having his titers checked, we found it was, indeed, fungal, and the
infection level was off the charts! CRYPTOCOCCUS!
That was not all, however. This had apparently been systemic for a
very long time (triggered by the protracted rainfall) and it had eaten
a hole through the roof of his mouth (an oronasal fistula) through
which food and other things passed back and forth. NOT GOOD!
The vet put him on fluconasole (sp?) and it began to, at least
superficially, clear it up. The vet also tried two unsuccessful,
experimental surgeries to patch the fistula. It was a lengthy,
painful, expensive and, ultimately, fatal problem for him. It went
totally systemic.
DON'T LET YOUR KIDS DIG IN THE DIRT, especially where your humidity
level is high (like here in Seattle). It may be harmless, but =96 MAYBE NOT=
!
I have posted photos here of Sandman at his worst and more. Look under
SANDMAN.
Michael FitzPatrick
Ferret Shelter Northwest
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