From:
"wclovergal"
Date: 2011-06-20 00:25:57 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Prostate removal? Stricture correction? Other?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
8 (?)-year-old Mckid Cinnabon's scent glands had enlarged to the point that they seemed to be blocking defecation, and were removed in a complicated surgery. There was scar tissue and granulation, especially on the right side. After surgery, he continued to have trouble "going," and we thought that this would resolve once the swelling had gone down. Poops varied--sometimes little strings, sometimes smears, sometimes beads--never a good turd. He would moan sometimes while going but didn't seem to be in discomfort at other times. He also developed fecal scalds and a mysterious rash on his belly. There was a pea-sized "blob" right at the anus.
A couple of weeks ago, he seemed to be in more pain and was started on pain meds. An ultrasound showed adrenal trouble (which I knew about and which he's being treated for), spots on one kidney, the spleen, and one on the liver, no discernable blockage, and some vague "prostate involvement."
A variety of antibiotics and creams later, the scalds and rash have gone down, and I was able to take him off pain meds.
I also upped the lupron and started him on finasteride (at vet's advice). Dr XXX put half of a des implant into him, though there was bleeding and I can't find the implant so he may have lost that. This helped initially, and he was off pain meds though still not producing good turds. Things were really looking up. The pea-sized blob was still there, but smaller and less red. With the swelling and pain finally down I really thought he was recovering well.
Then the other day he started straining so hard to defecate that he moaned horribly off and on for hours. Yesterday he was fine. This morning it started again for about an hour, and there was a bit of frank blood with the small stool that he produced.
I've been on the phone and email with the vet who did the surgery and the one who did the ultrasound, and put him back on pain meds.
He's been eating and drinking pretty normally, and his energy has been good, off and on.
These vets are suggesting that the trouble is either a stricture, or prostate troubles having nothing to do with his adrenal problems.
For a stricture, the suggestion is to have a barium x-ray to confirm, though there was no noticable "back-up" showing on the ultrasound. (In fact, the report I got said nothing intestinal was indicated.) I'm told that strictures cannot be treated with much success, and that if this is the problem he will have to be euthanized.
They also suggest euthanesia for "prostate involvement." I asked about removing the prostate--which he certainly doesn't need, and was told that this surgery would be too difficult to perform on a ferret. Well, if this is the case then it sounds to me like a good number of ferrets lose their lives over an organ that isn't even vital to survival, and that just seems wrong.
Isn't there anyone who would be willing (able?) to take out Cinnabon's prostate? (And of course the adrenal gland, spleen, kideny, and part of the liver at the same time?)
Alternatively, isn't there anyone who has had success with strictures?
OR: What else can this be, and how do we find out? Maybe there's a more optimistic third possibility that my vets don't know about.
------------------------------------
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/