From:
"Danee DeVore"
Date: 2009-08-07 04:45:27 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] A/V heart node block
To: <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
Tressie wrote:
So it looks like this block is responsive to atropine and presumably to
sympathetic tone (most likely explanation for change between first and
second recordings). This would be almost unheard of in a dog but we
obviously know very little about ferrets and this condition...."
At any rate consensus by the three cardiologists is that her condition is
likely idiopathic and a pacemaker would be the best option. Medication in
the interim.
She's already had a second fainting spell and I will be taking her in
tomorrow to my vet to discuss medication options.
My question is - has anyone had a ferret implanted with a pacemaker? What
was your experience and how did the ferret do longterm?
Hi Tressie,
In 2005 I had an older ferret develop a level 3 block (complete). She was
seen by a veterinary cardiologist who had actually done a pacemaker
implantation in a ferret, with good results. However, the cost of such an
operation was over $5,000.00. Mandy was already 7 years old, and had other
health issues (she was ADV positive). As a result, we decided to go the
route of treating with medications. She took several medications daily
(right now I don't have the records handy to be able to say what), and also
took 1/4 baby aspirin twice a week. The aspirin was prescribed after she
had a small stroke, likely caused by a blood clot. The cardiologist said
since her heart was not pumping efficiently, the blood was more likely to
form clots. With the aspirin, we did not have any additional problems with
that.
She did quite well for about 9 months, and then started having severe
periods of arrhythmia, where her heart would actually stop for about 20 to
30 seconds. At first these occurred only once every few weeks. When she
would come out of these, she would be very panicked and disoriented. When
these started happening more frequently, I decided to have her euthanized,
because I was afraid she would have one of these attacks when I was at work
and she was alone.
We did a necropsy, and her heart was extremely large and misshapen. We sent
tissue samples and the entire heart to Dr. Williams for pathology. A piece
of the heart was also later sent to UGA for examination, because of the ADV.
I was very grateful for the additional 10 months that I had with Mandy.
During that time, her behavior was very normal for an older ferret, and you
would not have known she had such a serious heart problem.
Danee DeVore
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit:
http://www.ferretadv.com
ADV - Find out how you can help:
http://help4adv.terrabox.com/
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