From:
Crystal Shamma
Date: 2008-06-01 18:24:01 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Re: Coughing ferret
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Thanks,
I'm just needing some suggestions so when i go back to the vet i have a game plan, b/c the only vet in my area is not firm. w/ ferrets at all....thank you guys
Sukie Crandall <sukie@mac.com> wrote:
Since this is occasional it is probably okay
BUT
our own habit is to always have a ferret who does not usually
cough x-rayed if coughing starts.
There are two reasons we do that.
The first usually applies to kits:
a chest x-ray will show the enlarged thymus that so often
goes along with JL (Juvenile Lymphoma), a form of lymphoma
that fortunately is rare.
The second can apply to any age:
Ferrets can have serious lung infections and NOT have them
show up when listened to. We have even had one with such
advanced pneumonia and pleurisy that she could have died
at any point who just had a tiny occasional cough that started
up that day. Since we went in on an emergency basis the vet
who listened didn't know ferrets well and said that she sounded
fine (true) but we insisted because she wasn't someone who
normally coughed and because she was doing a personal
behavior that she only did when not feeling well -- holding my
big toe in her mouth for short times so the vet did an x-ray
and realized how severely ill she was. That allowed her to be
treated and saved her life.
We have had a ferret who had problems with asthma. In her
case children's Benedryl was sufficient, but on a very rare basis
some ferrets may have worse allergies. We have Hilbert like that
now for skin reactions to some pollen seasons, and certainly
others here have had some very rare ferrets with more serious
asthma than our Ruffle had.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "morganpal3" <morganpal3@...> wrote:
>
> I have a 4 mon old ferret and just recently he has started coughing.
> nothing else has changed just his occasional hack. nothing comes out
> it's a dry cough....other than that he is perfectly healthy, atleast
> that's what my local vet says.....obviously not a ferret vet....i'm not
> located by one for atleast 100 miles.....i'm just wondering if this is
> something that i should make a trip....or if it is just him alergic to
> somehting....the only other pet i have in the house is a pit..could he
> be alergic to her? he never coughs while playing with her...also he
> isn't shedding....so no hair....anyone who can shed some light on this
> for me would be greatly app.
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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