From:
Sharon Janics
Date: 2009-01-30 16:02:29 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] IBD or something else?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Maybe someone can give me some recommendations or suggestions.
=A0
In Nov our one ferret Flower became really sick over night. From healthy to=
skinny, dehydrated and extremely jaundiced.=A0 We took her to an emergency=
exotics vet as it was a Sunday and as he felt it was probably liver cancer=
and pretty much untreatable so we had her put down.
=A0
Our other ferret Garrett we have had since last spring - She is about 3 yea=
rs old now I believe, maybe closer to 3 1/2.
=A0
When we got Garret she was underweight and a bit on the dehydrated side. We=
took her to the vet to get her checked over shortly after getting her.=A0 =
She slowly gained some weight but never felt like she had really filled out=
, always on the skinny side.=A0 Since we've had her, her poops have never b=
een firm, they've always been on the soft side, formed but soft.=A0 Sometim=
es greenish, sometimes not, sometimes seedy sometimes not. We put her on 8 =
in 1 when we got her.=A0 I don't recall what she had previously.=A0
=A0
So all this time she's never had really firm poops, and not real significan=
t weight gain, always her skin is a bit dehydrated.
=A0
Flower dies in November, Garret suddenly starts to loose weight. We think s=
he's depressed so we give her more treats and give her more attention.
=A0
Finally we decide she needs a new companion, so we look around and after a =
couple more weeks we find Jayda.=A0 Jayda is about 3 months old when we get=
her.=A0 Lovely fully body, beautiful coat, looks very healthy, originally =
came from a pet store, we got her from someone who only had her for a week =
then couldn't keep her.
=A0
Jayda was on Marshalls.=A0 We started switching Garrett to a mix of 8 in 1 =
and Marshalls.
=A0
Garrett continues to loose weight, but now she has diarrhoea, also lethargi=
c, so we take her to the vets (Dec 18th).=A0 Vet puts her on two antibiotic=
s, I think one was an amoxicillan, the other is Metronidazole, and injects =
her with some liquid for her dehydration. Vet says they'll call in a couple=
weeks to check on her, her weight is 760 grams
=A0
Garrett seems to be improving, seems to have gained a bit of weight, back t=
o energy levels, eyes look=A0nice and bright again, poop is firming up some=
. Finish the Metronidazole and now she starts to suddenly look like she's l=
oosing weight again.=A0 Call the vet. Told I was supposed to bring her in b=
efore meds were done, first I've heard of this - they told me they would ca=
ll and they never did.=A0 Take her back in to the vets.=A0 She has gained s=
ince last time, she now weighs=A0780 grams.=A0 Hydration is good..=A0 Vet s=
ays lets try the Metronidazole again. Gives me another prescription.=A0 Poo=
ps were very seedy at this time, but brown.
=A0
A week later we bring her back for another quick check. We don't see the ve=
t just the assistant. Weighs her 790 grams, another gain.=A0 Poops are stil=
l loose and seedy.=A0 Vet office says it may be a food intolerance. Want me=
to switch her to Hills Prescription Diet z/d low allergen cat food.=A0 Tak=
e her home with the new food.=A0 Over the next week we slowly switch from t=
he 8 in 1 and Marshalls mix to the Hills.=A0 Poops are getting looser.=A0 V=
et calls a week after - how's it going.=A0 OK. Poops are looser and still s=
eedy, only eating Hills now.=A0 Ok, the girl will let the vet know.=A0 Neve=
r heard back from them again, that was a week ago, she's been strictly on H=
ills now for over a week, her poops are quite loose, and she doesn't poop a=
lot.=A0 They are seedy.=A0 She seems to maybe have a little more weight on=
or about the same.=A0 Active. Curious. She still has another week of pills=
left from the Metronidazole.=A0
=A0
Not sure what to do.=A0 My cat/dog vet receptionist has recommended a diffe=
rent exotics vet to me - originally they had suggested the place I'm going =
and another place when I'd called them.=A0 Now that I've been in with my ca=
t she says she's heard of lots of people happier with the other vet.=A0 Do =
I try the other vet?=A0 I've started putting her back onto the Hills and Ma=
rshalls because she's not pooping a lot and what she is pooping isn't norma=
l looking,
=A0
As for blockages the vet felt her tummy, the first time she did feel someth=
ing that felt swollen she thought=A0it might be due to infection.=A0 The se=
cond time back it felt fine.
=A0
What does everyone suggest?
Originally she thought it might be ECE or Wasting away disease, and while t=
he meds have improved things... I'd like to see more weight on her and I'd =
like to see her have normal poops.
=A0
Any input would be appreciated.
=A0
Sharon
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