From:
"Bonnie Russell"
Date: 2009-03-02 17:58:01 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] all 6 ferrets sneezing and congested including Blackie
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I have a family of six.
Most recently i have posted about Blackie who
has been ill with an unconfirmed diagnosis (either
spinal injury or spinal lymphoma)
My youngster, who is a little over 1 recently came
down with sneezing, and sounding congested. I took
her to vets who felt is was a viral infection and
to just keep an eye on her. Her appetite was good,
normal activity, and eating well.
Now all 6 of mine are sneezing and congested, including
Blackie who is very medically fragile and
several of my ferrets who are 4+ years old. THe
young one who got it first is still very bad and
mouth breathing after 10 days. Blackie has
been on Baytril, 0.25 ml BID and my other
ferret Sam is on clavamox 0.25ml BID for other
unrelated things and are also experiencing
symptoms which leads me to believe its viral as
well.
I have been bringing them into the bathroom
full of steam, and making sure they are
eating well. Blackie is syringe fed and continues
to eat well but very labored mouth
breathing and nasal congestion. No fevers
that i can tell. I will temp them all this evening.
If it is viral, is there anything else for me to do,
other than to make sure that they are
eating well and hydrated?
One important question: Is the use of
Torbutrol contraindicated with the chest and nasal
congestion in Blackie? He seems worse than all
the rest, and takes 0.3 pred (15/5ml) BID,
baytril and torb (1/4 tab BID and i can't recall
the strength offhand) I know that some
painkillers can slow respirations and increase
risk of respiratory infection or pneumonia in
humans.
I have another call into vets today.
thanks
Bonnie
[Moderator's Note:
Stinky, heated, very wet food will be more palatable
with congestion. Try a/d mixed with heated water
to bring it to about ferret body temp, about 102'F.
Remember that a number of human over the counter
meds will kill ferrets. Clear anything with the vet first.
Yes, steam can be very useful.
Some use the tiniest bit of some plain drops on the nose if
the ferret will not eat; see vet posts below on that score,
and ask your own vet first.
See if these past vet posts help you. Obviously,
ferrets do not get colds but they do get influenza
which this sounds like and they can get secondary
bacterial infections of either (or both) the upper
and lower respiratory tract so if this gets bad
then chest x-rays make sense:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG1022
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG1223
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG1288
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG2137
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG3519
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG4053
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG4054
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG10826
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG14084
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG2056
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG7675
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL7966
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG7675]
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