From:
"Tressie"
Date: 2008-10-15 13:03:18 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Rapidly swelling abdomen
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I have a 2 =BD year-old sprite Tiramisu, who I posted about in July for
a bleeding ulcer. She was scheduled to have a tooth extraction
yesterday for a chipped canine that was becoming infected. She ended up
having both canines extracted because the other one was showing signs of
obvious deterioration. She is presently on Clavamox 0.16 mL every 12
hours.
Of greater concern is that this past weekend she developed progressive
swelling in her abdomen. When she tried climbing over something while
sliding on her belly =96 she screamed. It came on very rapidly,
literally in days and now her abdomen is quite distended. It feels hard
like a swollen balloon and is evenly distributed.
I had emailed my vet to give him a heads up before I brought her in.
She had a series of abdominal x-rays before and after the extractions
yesterday. Pre-surgical blood panel showed a really low white blood
cell count: 1.2 (of primary concern to my vet); red blood cell count
was low normal (didn't get the value); BG was little low but
normal: 82; Protein normal: 59.
X-rays showed a moderately enlarged spleen (not uncommon) but not large
enough to explain the abdominal swelling. Her heart appeared normal on
x-rays, no heart murmur detected. There was a suspicious area on the
x-ray but inconclusive because it was hard to determine what it was.
Ascites was not indicated in the films so a needle aspirate was not
done. Mesenteric lymph node is massive.
When my vet palpated her more carefully under anesthesia he said that
the mesenteric lymph node seems to go on forever and it feels like there
are additional masses as offshoots from it. He recommended an
ultrasound. However, after discussing that option, given the expense
and wait time for radiologist - I opted for exploratory surgery, which
is scheduled for next week to give her time to recover from the
extractions. I am measuring her girth to track the swelling. Last
night it was 10.5 inches. She is a small ferret and this swelling is
making her looked deformed.
She still has a good appetite for the duck soup I make her. She is
urinating normally and stools are a bit soft but otherwise normal. No
vomiting. Some hind-end weakness but not pronounced. She is clearly in
discomfort and whimpers often when she is shifting around trying to get
comfortable. She has the half-closed eyes indicative of pain.
My question =96 what can cause such a swelling to come on literally in
a few days? She is too old for juvenile lymphoma, which I understand
progresses quickly.
Thank you.
Tressie
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