In regards to you post on the licking chewing ferret-- I want to express
that I amnot a vet-- rather a shelter Mom , but the symptoims yoiu
described do illustrate a very strong possibility that your ferret is once
again suffering from a stress induced ulcer / hrlicobacter infection.
 
You wrote:
>vet#2 who did blood work (eliminated hypoglycmia) and said it was probably
>stomach ulcers.  She was on amoxi and pepto for 2 weeks and improved for
>several months.
 
This positive response to prescribed meds does show that -- most probably--
the problem was a ulcer type condition -- sometimes treatments for this
condition can last 30 days or more....
 
>In December the licking thing started a little and recently has become bad
>again along with her being lathargic.  Took her to vet#3 who says she has
>enlarged lyph nodes that are causing the chewing/licking and thinks it
>could be lyphocomia(sp?) and wants to do a biopsy.  She is now on
>antibiotics and predesone.
 
If the ulcer or helicobacter condition returned ( often stress conditions
will with changes in routine or household) and was not caught early-- the
infection would cause the lymph nodes to enlarge or swell-- just like
when you get a infection!  The prudent treatment would be to repeat the
antibiotic ulcer regimen first to see if the condition responds to it--
before jumping into surgery..  Surgery in a ferret with compromised health
causes a delayed healing-- I would urge you to check with the vet again--
if th4e blood tests are normal ( blood glucose) and if a blood count shows
higher white count (common in infection) then I would think running
antibiotics most prudent before doing the surgery....
 
>She still eats/sleeps/uses her litter box the same and has not lost any
>weight.  Just has the licking/chewing/swallowing thing and lethargy.
 
These are good signs-- --has anything happened to make the ferret stressed?
Change in residence, routine or ferret family?  If so you can almost count
on this being a strsss induced illness-- caught early you should see a full
recovery.
 
Best wishes to you both--
Alicia
for the many faces of Ferret Wie
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html
 
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[Posted in FML issue 2993]