From:
"lmwade55"
Date: 2008-05-25 09:58:17 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Hard to diagnose whats wrong any suggestions
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Sorry this is so long...
I need some advice =85quickly please?!
Here is what has happened to my ferret - Buddy
He is a really sweet boy, 2yrs old always happy and bouncy, never
bites. He was needing new ferret company as he was by himself ( I got
him 3mths ago from a lady who'd had him since a baby). Last Monday
buddy and I went to a ferret rescue place to see how he would react to
her ferrets. The lady was knowledgeable, kind and very helpful and let
him bounce round her house with her most placid ferret to see how
buddy reacted he was a good boy with all 3 he met but she didn't have
any that were single going by themselves just pairs So on Tuesday 20th
May we talked with her friend who runs another rescue division not far
away, she had a small 2yr castrated boy who we went to see on Tue. At
this ladies house my ferret played with another 4 ferrets and we took
home the one he hugged and licked and played with like a ferret
possessed! She had had all the ferrets for over 5 weeks and she said
all were tip-top healthy (same for the ladies house on Monday)
All good so far, Wed 21st May the two ferrets Buddy & Olly spent the
first hour running and playing tag all over the house lots of
`dooking' and much bouncing. Wed afternoon I notice buddy has bad poos
slightly light yellowy tan colour and a bit runny, not too bad. By
late afternoon he wanted to go to bed rather than play with his new
pal who was trying to bounce on his head to rouse him. So I put him to
bed and separated them for a while.
Thursday 22nd May morning buddy was not standing up waiting to be let
out as normal but he was listless and bit lethargic. I got him out and
he went to his littler tray where he did a very large poo, well when I
say poo it was just pile of pale yellowy/transparent mucus with small
bits of veiny blood in?! So I rang the vet and we were there by
8:50am. He was given 3 injections 1) antibiotic 2) pain
killer/anti-inflammatory 3) fluids. During the day he wasn't allowed
to eat until late afternoon and I just had to give him 5ml of
electrolyte fluids very hour or so which he readily drank warm from a
syringe.
On Thur evening he at very small amounts of chicken. Late on Thur eve
and Friday23rd morning he had bright green slimy poos and the other
ferret started to get slightly runny light tan coloured poos! So back
we went to the vet who wanted to see both ferrets. He felt they were
well hydrated and said not to worry about the green poos it was better
than the mucus and blood ones. The vet said it was likely to be a type
of colitis. I was concerned about ECE but he said don't get too
worried about that (plus he wasn't sure what it was!, buddy is the
only ferret registered at that surgery for as long as he can remember!).
Both ferrets were to have half a tablet (pink Synulox Antibiotic) the
little ferret `Olly' eats this no problem in anything but not Buddy he
wanted to eat nothing! Not even chicken, scrambled egg, chicken stock
soaked biscuits, few drops of ferretone, organic chicken baby food,
nothing, normally he'd eat any of these! So he was not having the
antibiotics he should have. His poo all of Friday then ranged from
bright green, watery to slimy bubbly yellow and very watery no popery
little snake poos at all since Wednesday.
Into Saturday 24th May and this morning I had to go back to the vets
to change the antibiotics to a white liquid =96 Synulox 0.4ml twice per
day. I have to scruff him and force this one down he hates it! Still
not interested in food he's eating about 6 warm water soaked biscuits
and about 3 small pieces of ham & chicken. He seems very hungry and is
eager to get to the bowl as I put it on the floor but he just cant
seem to eat? (James well beloved). So now I'm getting worried I don't
think I should Google anymore symptoms as it makes me more worried as
his symptoms are a good match for Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis or
some for the dreaded Insulinoma! as quite often he just seems to be
sitting staring (but he doesn't have any other symptoms but a bit of
weight loss =96 he was castrated 7 weeks ago though? So they are the
only matching symptoms), but I have only had him 3 months from a lady
so I don't know if that's just what he does?! Before the diarrhoea
started he was a very happy bouncy, crazy turbo ferret who had a good
appetite and weight a nice 1.75kg.
So if you can give me any advice as to what to do from these symptoms
below, how to make him eat, etc I would be extremely grateful as my
vet doesn't seem 100% sure!=20
And I'm getting quite worried about my lovely wee boy right now?
Wed am - happy bouncy ferret
Wed pm =96 not so bouncy poos went a but runny
Thur am - Mucus with blood (to vets jabbed)
Thur pm green /yellow slimy (started antibiotics & probiotics for both
ferrets =96 4 days antibiotics & 10 day probiotics)
Fri am =96 back to vets with Olly who has slight light tan soft poos.
bit bouncy played with Olly with bouts of lethargy not really eating
Fri pm =96 Running bubbly yellow poo, not eating much, still occasionally
paying with pal for very short bursts
Sat am =96 Not eating really, but drinking ok when given (antibiotic
changed to liquid =96 does not like this either have to force it in!)
Sat pm =96 Yellow very runny grainy looking poo. Very quite, bounced a
few times with Olly but wants to take himself to bed, really only
interested in a few biscuits and teeny bit of chicken. Making him eat
and drink. He is hungry but can't seem to eat.
Help?!!
Laura ;-(
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