From:
TheRagans@aol.com
Date: 2010-06-22 22:53:39 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Oreo Ragan: Is it time or is there something to try?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Oh Beth .... I am so, so sorry for your loss. Our animals are family too.
We are taking it moment by moment right now.
Thank you Moderator for your remarks.
I noted yesterday a couple of potential probs. The pred was out of date
by 2 months and she was not getting a higher dose (2-2.5 mg/per kg). I am
allergic to amoxicillin and have been eating Benedryl (hives around my eyes) -
so it was time to switch antibiotics before I ended up in the ER. I
decided around 6:00 to take her back to the vet this morning. Oreo had other
plans for me ....
At final feeding time last eve, we found her in a respiratory distress
(breathing with mouth open, deeply, chest heaving). She seemed dazed. It was
horrible.
We gave her drops of water on the way to the ER. Of course, the episode
passed by the time we got to the ER. Blood glucose was 105 (5 hour
fasting, 13 hours after last pred dose of 0.12 ml (5 mg per ml - I think, I threw
it away last night). X-ray showed a large gas bubble. Vet surmised the gas
bubble was pressing against her lungs casuing repsiratory distress. Vet
also surmised we were dealing with lymphoma (nothing felt on palpation,
nothing showing on x-ray). Switched to metronidazole BID, increased pred to
0.12 BID, added infant gas relief drops 2-3 times per day. Started treatment
around midnight.
So far, she seems better than she's been the past week. Though she still
can not walk unsupported, her front legs are near functional again, and
she's getting the rear legs going just a bit (instead of them just being
limp). She's peppier, though far from well. She's eating and drinking well,
and then just sleeping. She appears to not have pain. We are offering water
every 2 hours, feeding Gerber turkey every 4. Stools are still
pudding-like.
In this case, I decided to give her some more time since the pred she had
may not have been full strength and the dose was not as much as she could
have. Her fasting glucose level has not changed from where it was in the
past. When she is ill, the gas bubbles show up and it's the metronidazole
that seems to pull her out of it. We had her weight back up to 2 lbs (she's
a tiny one ... this is plenty of weight for her) and her tail hair had
returned.
Note: I looked up ataxia and it best describes her condition, along with
the hind end insufficiency.
We are taking things an hour or two at a time, letting her rest and hoping
the meds will help her heal.
Suggestions welcome. Thanks for listening. I am glad you are here for us
during this difficult time.
Tamera
In a message dated 06/22/2010 4:25:03 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
bcpastorino@yahoo.com writes:
I keep crying ( like I'm doing right now ) cause I miss him soo much !!!!
Good luck with whatever happens
Beth
[Hind end weakness is common in
ferrets with any serious condition
but certainly insulinoma is most
common. 6 months is a long
time for a ferret so blood tests,
chest x-rays and possibly ultrasound
are among the tests which can help.
How long a ferret can go with a malignancy
depends on the malignancy type, the
general condition of the ferret, the malignancy
location, etc. Some can go in a short while
but others can last a couple of years (two
extremes).
Luckily, if a ferret does not already
have ulcers the problems from Prednisolone
given carefully are minimal in ferrets (compared
to many other species) and there are chemo
protocols for some forms of malignancies, too.
People who are used to trouble from steroids
for other species often do not know this. Some
of us here have ferrets who have been on maintenance
doses of Prednisolone for many years with no problems
and higher doses for a decent chunk of time, too.
Our Hilbert who is over 7 and 1/2 now is one such
example.
--Moderator]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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