From:
"braunkittykat"
Date: 2010-11-16 01:01:42 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] HELP! Seeking information/advice regarding a sick 6 YO ferret
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hello. I'm new to this forum and don't have much experience posting/responding to questions in this format, so please bear with me.
I have a 6 year old female ferret that has been diagnosed with adrenal disease and insulinoma. She has been on prednisolone (3mg/ml)for the past year and has done quite well. She has typical hair loss patterning, although not severe. (Surgery for adrenal disease was discussed with my veterinarian and due to her heart murmur, was decided against.)
Over the past month, I've noticed considerable weight gain. Just last week, she kept me awake all night with heavy breathing. Concerned by this and her enlarged belly (which I thought was most likely due to an enlarged spleen), I took her to the vet. After beign weighed,she gained just over 300 grams. She saw the vet in July and weighed 760 grams and last week weighed 1067 grams. At her heaviest she weighed 980.
X-rays revealed that she did not have an enlarged spleen and that all of her organs looked healthy. Her fat was concentrated primarily on her hind end. The x-ray did show that her left lung was not full of air, rather that something (fluid/tumor?) was blocking it, thus giving cause for the heavier breathing.
The vet also noted that all of her lymph nodes were enlarged. She tried to sample several of them to look for lymphoma. Slides revealed fat and were inconclusive.
Since seeing the vet, my ferret's prednisolone has beened up from .03 to .05, to .15ml. Despite inconclusive tests for lymphoma, the vet believes that lymphoma is the correct diagnosis.
Okay, so I know that the prednisolone will assist with her enlarged lymph nodes and I am prepared to deal with what lies ahead. However, over the weekend, my ferret has produced 2 large deep red bruises on her abdomen. And just today from 12:30pm with no sign of additional bruising, to 6pm she has developed yet another bruise. She has nowhere to fall from (levels have been removed from her cage). I don't know what is causing these bruises... or if they are, god forbid, some kind of internal bleeding. I inquired about this when I called my veterinarian and was as puzzled as I was and told me to keep an eye on her.
For the most part, she is eating/drinking/moving/defecating okay. She has a healthy appetite and is drinking (a lot). She has trouble moving, mainly due to her large belly and at times strains to potty.
Any information on what might be causing her bruises would be very helpful. If anyone has help regarding what to watch for or what else I can be doing to keep her comfortable is much appreciated.
Thanks so much,
Kat
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