From:
TheRagans@aol.com
Date: 2010-07-07 19:16:22 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Neurological problem or ?? - Oreo, moderator/vet help please
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I apologize for the late reply to this post. The 25 guests are now gone.
I have scheduled a re-check for Oreo with her regular vet this afternoon.
I asked that meds be reordered (she is out of pred and the flagyl that is
left expired yesterday) prior to the appointment. Despite the fact that
Oreo is recovering nicely on the med therapy the ER vet recommended, regular
vet who treats exotics (not so many ferrets) she is reluctant to adjust
dose.
Oreo continues her slow recovery. Her loose stools are mostly resolved.
She now is able to travel about 3 feet with her back arched (previously,
she was only able to slither). She does not take normal steps with her back
feet. They are somewhat splayed (duck footed?) and sometimes she drags her
toes. Forward motion stops one of two ways: either her right front leg
collapses or one of her rear legs collapse. When this happens, she will fall
to one side and usually all the way over on her back. She rests for a
moment (maybe 5 seconds)rights herself and is off again. "PT" appears to have
helped her much. We have not yet had the chance to make the sling, but
will discuss this with the PT as it sounds much easier than trying to keep up
with her with a hand under her tummy.
She is sassy (age is guessed at 7.5ish years) when "making her bed"
("doof" vocalizations) and displaying her displeasure at taking meds (slinging it
from her mouth if given half the chance, pushing my hand away). She
enjoys long naps and appears relaxed and content (other than when she gets the
dreaded meds). She takes long naps.
I am concerned about the vets reluctance to keep her on the same medicine
doses. They are:
Metronidazole 50 mg/ml 0.17ml twice daily
Prednisolone 1mg/ml 0.5 ml twice daily
Are these dosage levels safe? Oreo weighed 1.25 lbs at the time the Rx was
made.
In a message dated 07/01/2010 1:04:25 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
TheRagans@aol.com writes:
I am reading this thread with great interest as you have described the
exact symptoms Oreo has EXCEPT Oreo has hind end weakness as well AND it
is not
resolving quickly ... it is resolving slowly. She is now able to walk
about 15 steps before listing to the left and falling. If we support her
middle (like the ferret wheel chair would) she goes like the Ever Ready
bunny.
She looks like a stroke patient, or someone with a massive inner ear
infection who can not keep their balance.
Because of Oreo's age, I am beginning to wonder if it's not adrenal
disease
plus a heart issue/thrown clot?
She has been on high dose pred for about a week now plus flagyl for
recurrent loose stools with gas (IBD?).
I need help in searching the archives please - and would welcome ANY
advice
from vets to share with my vet.
Thanks in advance -
Tamera
[Any serious illness in a ferret can
cause hind leg weakness, with
insulinoma being the most common.
Another cause of hind leg weakness
which repairs slowly over time is a
thrombosis (thrown clot) -- either
saddle thrombosis or one to the brain
and then the underlying cause for
throwing clots must be found.
Almost everyone is stronger on one side
than the other so when weak will fall
more often to one side.
Try making a pantyhose sling. Sew the
feet together into a hammock for the
ferret's middle and roll the top of the sling
into a handle. Use different lengths for
different people's heights to reduce the
chances of human back pain, and if the
ferret does not hold with one sew two
sets of feet next to each other using
two pairs of pantyhose if your vet says
that such PT is fine to do. Range of motion
exercises in warmed water sometimes also
help, and there is more in the archives:
_http://ferrethealth.org/archive/_ (http://ferrethealth.org/archive/)
Do you have a serious eye problem which
makes using the archives difficult? (That is
not a rude question; we have some blind
members and I have some visual compromises
myself.) Otherwise, these include content
which will help you:
_http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL11292_
(http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL11292)
_http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL11552_
(http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL11552)
and, please, let us know when more help
is needed what part of the explanations are
not clear enough. FIRST read the instructions
right at the archive itself. Most of using
archives is practice and it takes time for anyone
to use them.
-- Moderator]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
ferrethealth-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ferrethealth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/