From:
"William L. Sebok"
Date: 2010-04-25 02:48:16 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Mystery Illness with Neurological Symptoms
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Tabitha, our four-year-old albino ferret, has been sick for about two months.
Initially, she became less active and had shaking episodes. Then she began to
stumble when rushing to the litterbox. She would go in and out of the litterbox
several times before producing urine. On March 7, an emergency clinic
veterinarian suspected insulinoma and/or a urinary tract infection, but her
glucose was 113 and the dipstick urinalysis was normal. Other findings were
a very high hematocrit (74.6) and normal BUN (18) and ALT (61). Tabitha
was started on Amoxicillin at our request since it had seemed to help her once
before when she was shaking and lethargic.
Tabitha's neurological signs worsened; sometimes she even did a somersault while
trying to navigate in the litterbox. She also had an episode in which her nose
got very red while she had rapid, shallow breathing.
Dr. X [Name removed per FHL rules.] found that Tabitha's PCV was very
high. She also noted that Tabitha was retaining urine although her bladder was
easy to express. An additional finding was a slow heart rate. Dr. X
treated Tabitha for polycythemia by withdrawing some blood and replacing it with
saline, and for the next few days, Tabitha seemed a little better.
We took Tabitha to Dr. Y for her input, and she thought Tabitha was
acting like she could have a brain tumor. She thought
Tabitha may be in pain, so she prescribed Tramadol.She also examined a urine
sample under a microscope and noted some bacteria. Additional findings were a
small spleen and 91% oxygen saturation.
Tabitha was taking Tramadol, Amoxicillin, and Clarithromycin, but the
neurological signs worsened. By March 15, she could hardly walk. Her front legs
were sometimes in a flipper position, and at other times crossed in front of
her. Her back legs seemed more or less OK.
On March 16, Dr. X x-rayed Tabitha and found an abnormal area in her
cervical spine. (Other findings were a heart rate of 180 and PCV of about 70.)
She put Tabitha on prednisone, and she improved after the first dose. Within 2
days, she was almost completely better. For a couple of weeks, Tabitha was
doing the ferret dance!
Unfortunately, complete remission of her symptoms was short-lived. Shaking
episodes have resumed, and Tabitha sleeps most of the time. She now has
some trouble with her back legs (although her front legs seem OK).
On April 22, a follow-up X-ray showed some improvement compared to the
March 16 image, and her PCV was 48. Her heart rate was 150.
We still do not have a definite diagnosis, but lymphoma and multiple myeloma
have been suggested.
Questions: Has anyone seen a similar case? Is there anything else we could
do to help Tabitha? What diagnostic procedures would be most useful? (We
don't have the funds for an MRI.) If a
specific cancer is confirmed, is it too late to start other chemotherapy drugs?
We could send the March 16 x-ray by e-mail if anyone would like to see it.
There are some other blood test results too.
Thank you,
Clare and Bill Sebok
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