From:
"Joanna Cramer"
Date: 2008-03-10 14:34:29 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Anemic 1 year old male, unknown origin - very scared owner!!
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Dr. Sue,
Thank you for your reply. We did do cytology on the ascites and it did
not reveal anything remarkable. Mostly just a protein and degraded
cell mixture.
I did have them check his heart on the x-rays for heart disease which
also didn't yield anything remarkable. When they listened to his
heart they didn't pick up on anything unusual and they said even many
healthy ferrets have heart murmurs but squirt's sounded great.
The ultrasound and x-ray also didn't reveal anything unusual with
regard to size of his liver or spleen, but his blood work did reveal
slightly low albumin levels. I know this could point us to the cause
of the ascites. Could the low albumin be caused by lymphoma?
Thanks again for your help.
Joanna
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "Susan Liszewski DVM"
<suedvm96@...> wrote:
>
> I think it is hard to say what is going on. Was the fluid analyzed to
> see if the cells are there. 3 possibilites with the decreases,
> decreased production which leads to bone marrow issue, loss which means
> the cells are going somewhere either a bleed internal or external etc.
> Or destruction of the cells. The low counts make me think viral but
> could also be lymphoma or such esp in the liver.
>
> Ascites could be due to liver or heart. Was the chest checked.
> Sometimes the liver values don't appear affected when they really are.
> I would consider transfusion to keep levels up. You could do bone
> marrow biopsy or exploratory. I think when you have so much fluid in
> the abdomen it obscures everything via x ray and ultrasound may not
> even be precise.
>
> Just like the rest of your doctors this is all speculation. We would
> all be guessing. I hope this helps just a bit. Good Luck in whatever
> direction you choose to take. All the best.
>
> Dr. Sue
>
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