From:
"Angie Chappell"
Date: 2009-05-30 14:35:32 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Pancytopenia and adrenal hormones
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
This is going to be a little long. Sorry.
I have a male ferret aprox. 6 years young. He is ADV tested and negative. He shares a cage with one other ferret. Who is adrenal and not responding to Melatonin, Lupron, or desorilin (sp?). She will be having surgery soon. At the end of February he had adrenal surgery. One adrenal gland was removed and he seemed to be recovering very well. Especially given his age.
May 15th he had a low blood glucose (36) after always previously testing "normal". Vet visit and started on .3 of 3mg/ml pred and clavamox. He seemed "slow" to respond to the medications by by mid week was beginning to stabalize. His BG's were now in the "normal" range and he was bright and alert. Monday and Tuesday he seemed a bit more "sluggish". Wednesday morning gave meds at 5:00 am and he seemed alert and to be doing good. Two hours later when his group got out he had a fever, was very sluggish was wobbly. Checked his BG it was 40 and as mentioned he was very feverish. He was given sub-q fluids (which left a HUGE amount of bruising) and taken to the vet. A second antibiotic was added to the mix (Baytril). He stayed overnight to be evaluated by the vet the next day (away from his cagemate). He responded well and was sent home late Thursday night. After spending the night and part of the day back at home and with his cagemate he again developed a fever Friday af
ternoon. Back to the vet were the unusual bruising along with the return of the fever warranted more tests. Bloodwork revealed pancytopenia. X-rays looked good as did other blood values. Vet listed possible causes - virus, infection, and cancer affecting the bone marrow. He was placed on high dose pred in addition to the other medications for the weekend with a re-check on Monday. Today after being away from his cagemate in a separate cage last night his fever is gone again. Dr. had said it would come and go.
I am grasping at straws here, but I am wondering if exposure to his cagemates adrenal disease and resulting wacked hormones, combined with his recent adrenal surgery and changing hormones could somehow be resulting in his bone marrow being all confused causing pancytopenia. Does anyone have any other thoughts? I am just praying and hoping for a non-cancerous answer.
Angie
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