Message Number: FHL13454 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Sukie Crandall
Date: 2011-06-18 19:14:37 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Re: ferret with first and second degree av node heart block
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com

Given the heart block go to both the FHL Archives and the the Disease-specific folder in the FHL Files section.

In the Files section you will find compilations for some ferret medical problems including one for A/V Node Block, and in the separate archives you will find later posts.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/files/

http://ferrethealth.org/archive/

1+ or 2 means that it is not as bad as it could get. 3 is complete complete block of that electrical node in the heart, while Level 2 Sinus pretty well always progresses to become 3 at some point. Level 2 (not the same as Level 2 Sinus) might not worsen; ditto Level 1.

Since that was written, node block has been found to be more common than thought for ferrets, and it might be triggered by insulinoma at times in ferrets. Here is part of what I included back then:

> Level 1 is mild enough that each signal gets through but the ventricular
> beat is delayed. In Level 2 not all signals get through. A Complete
> Heart Block is the same as a Level Three and in this case the ventricular
> beat is reduced to a back-up level which is very slow (bradycardia).
> Below a certain point the ventricular rate is not consistent with the
> needs for survival. Blood pools, it may back up, and the output of the
> heart is low enough that the other organs will starve if it does not
> improve.


For Level 3 two meds that have been useful in the past are Aminophylline and Theophylline. They are not used together, but used one or the other. Both are discussed in the heart block specific compilation.

Our ferret with Level 3 heart block (never less) along with insulinoma lived for about 9 months with treatment. In ferret years as adults a calendar year is about the same level of aging as a decade for people, so the meds she was on in combination got her a good chunk of time. *IF* I recall right she also was on Enacard.


On Jun 18, 2011, at 1:47 PM, Bluwillow4@aol.com wrote:

> Thanks, Debbie
> PS, we called her yesterday and she is calling in an RX for aminophylline.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)










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