From:
"merylfaulkner"
Date: 2010-02-07 17:05:43 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Head tilt, sudden onset -archives helpful but depressing
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I have a presumably elderly ferret - Sandy (history, age, unknown - estimated maybe 5)relinquished (with a younger animal)for unknown reasons to a humane society in April of 2009. He's a beige color so I named him Sandy. He had exploratory surgery shortly after I took him in, and my veterinarian has suspected because of his large abdomen and spleen on intake that he might have lymphoma. Since I'm missing his surgery sheet I'm not sure if she removed his spleen at that time -she may have - I have trouble feeling for spleens even after being shown how to feel them - not that I think it makes a difference in this case.
He's been slow, has always had some trouble getting around, and the vet concurred that when he first arrived that there seemed to be something odd about his gait. She mentioned that ferrets of his color seem to have more problems than others.He's on prednisolone - 2.5 mls of a 1mg per ml solution twice daily, and diazoxide (generic proglycem) 0.25mls twice daily. I think I missed his morning pred dose yesterday - forgot to mix it in with his chicken/pumpkin - have three on meds so once in a while I lose track of whose had their stuff added to the chicken. However, from what I remember missing one dose should not produce a dramatic effect and should really only result in lethargy. Sandy is obviously "there" and looked at me this am. From the archives it seems that one of the likely causes is lymphoma. However another suggestion I saw was ear infection, so since my vet keeps me stocked with meds I gave him a dose of Baytril last night just in case it is some kind of infection.
My question is, if it is lymphoma, is the head tilt due to the spread of the cancer to the CNS or to (say) the eustachian tubes - and why the tilt to one side? He's tried and succeeded to get out of his sleep sack to poop, so he's compos mentis (of sound mind).
Is it true (as I think I read somewhere) that certain color phases have more problems (because of breeding for color) than other animals?
He now has a really large belly (it seems to have become larger in the last few weeks), but despite that got out of his sleep sack this am, crawled out and pooped and then crawled back in. He is getting feces on his belly and I cleaned him off, but it struck me that since he seems aware its going to be tough to make a decision to euthanize.
As I said, the archives did help, but it does not sound hopeful. I'll update on the vet visit Monday. Again, any thoughts on why a head tilt may occur with lymphoma?
Meryl
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