From:
"Tressie"
Date: 2009-02-01 11:02:10 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Xena: kidney failure : history, symptoms, chemistry, questions
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Meryl,
I think it is awesome what you and your vet are doing for Xena. She
sounds like a feisty little girl to have endured everything she has.
According to Dr. Williams:
"There really is no cure for chronic renal failure, as that tissue will
never be replaced, only palliative treatment designed to decrease levels
of toxic substances in the blood and thus clinical signs. When the
levels are high, large amounts of intravenous or subcutaneous fluids
will help to flush out some of these substances and decrease the levels.
They will of course, build up again over time, with animals with less
functional renal tissue having faster increases.
Common wisdom in veterinary medicine suggests that lower protein diets
are renal-sparing, and we generally reduce protein content markedly in
the diets of animals with renal failure."
(http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/renal.htm
<http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/renal.htm> )
Given this, I would deduce that maintaining her on the sub-Q fluids will
slow the decline, removing them will accelerate it.
I have been reminded numerous times by a ferret expert vet that ferrets
don't read the text books and respond as unique individuals to
treatments as well as disease presentation. That has at times been a
terrible frustration to me while at other times it has been a great
comfort.
Special cuddles for your strong-spirited senior girl!
Tressie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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