From:
caitlyn@mizuhoradio.com
Date: 2009-02-23 20:25:41 UTC
Subject: RE: [ferrethealth] post surgery care after nephroectomy
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hi, Julie, and everyone else,
My ferret Pertwee had a nephrectomy. I believe he was the first
documented case of unilateral polycystic disease in a ferret. It was
supposed to be a difficult surgery but he recovered very quickly. He
ate well throughout the recovery period and wanted to play more than was
a good idea soon after surgery. His stamina was down (he slept more
than normal, tired out pretty quickly) but other than that he was his
old self within a day or two of surgery. He was younger than yours
(less than two yeasrs old) but had other major health issues (both
adrenal glands had been previously removed and a bout with heliobacter)
and yet his recovery was remarkably quick.
Ferrets seem to recover at different rates and that yours gets tired
easily isn't terribly surprising. Pulling out his stitches was
definitely a setback. Tenderness at the incision site shortly after
surgery isn't surprising at all. We used Bob Church's Chicken Gravy
(essentially a very good form of "duck soup") to help Pertwee recover.
I'd worry if your little one's appetite disappears or if the low energy
lasts more than a few days. At that point I'd have the vet do a
recheck, something you'll almost certainly be doing within a week of a
major surgery anyway.
Pertwee was on antibiotics (sorry, long time ago, don't rememeber which)
immediately after surgery as well as dexamthasone and fludrocortisone to
keep his electrolytes in balance since he had no adrenal glands. The
dexamethasone was a substitute for prednisone; Pertwee didn't respond to
pred at all.
If the archives go back to 2000 there should be some interesting details
from Pertwee's case including a very famous ferret vet insisting that
unilateral polycystic disease was impossible... until he saw the
pathology report :)
Good luck to you and your ferret,
Caity and the terrific trio
(Ella, Zephyr, and Chin Soon)
http://ferretsofdisorder.blogspot.com
http://www.mizuhoradio.com/personal/caitlyn/ferrets
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