From:
"merylfaulkner"
Date: 2010-08-25 05:26:56 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Babs, female ferret today with rapid breathing - cardiac/lung issues?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I'm taking Babs in first thing tomorrow, but thought I'd post tonight about her problem. Being paranoid I always assume a symptom like this (rapid breathing) which I noticed late today, will result in death before morning - irrational since my vet says ferrets usually take longer to die than I expect. Babs has been having regular ultrasounds because of suspicions about her heart. I looked tonight at the most recent exam report- 7-8-10 and it says
" heart again noted to be displaced by moderate intrathoracic fat. Left heart moderate mitral regurgitation, the LA has increased in size in the recheck interim".
I've left out the values, then it continues
"mild aortic insufficency present without LV eccentric hypertrophy. LV function essentially unchanged, however LV free wall appeared hypokinetic compared to the IVS".
Left ventricle free wall appearing hypokinetic? means what - and not sure what IVS is.
Then it says "rt heart - mild tricuspid regurgitation again noted" - which I understand. "No congestion or ascites noted". Guess that was good - no fluid. Then says "small amt pleural effusion which was present on previous exam". That is fluid between the lungs and the chest wall, so I assume that if that has increased she might be having this rapid respiration?
Another comment is "New finding of moderate mitral regurgitation, mild LA enlargement and aortic insufficency. The left heart change should be monitored radiographicaly and sonographically for progression".
The ultrasound vet's final sentence in the report says "no medications at this time. Recheck radiograpsh in 3-6 months, sooner if clinically indicated, recheck cardiac ultrasound in 6 months, sooner if clinically indicated."
After reading some posts in the archives about ferrets with respiratory problems I'm feeling reassured about the rapid breathing for tonight (the archives are a wonderful resource and help).
I wondered if since the weather has been really hot here for the last four days if this could have precipitated this? I'm keeping her in the coolest room in the house, and the temp has dropped tonight.
Babs is the ferret that had a problem - a bump on her nose - which I thought was a tumor. I did not get around to posting her pre and post surgical pics. Turned out to be an infection in her sinuses and after suffering the indignity of looking like a unicorn for weeks with a drain sticking out of her forehead,antibiotics, and having her sinuses flushed she recovered uneventfully. I'll have to post those pictures after she has her physical and diagnosis tomorrow.
Meryl
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