Hey All and Dr. Williams,
 
Rinkydink has suffered a full blown reoccurance of her symptoms of EE since
her distemper shot and we have been back and forth to the vet again trying
to get it under control.  I am not a medical person and am unfamiliar with
terms, cause and effect, etc.  But, since Rinkydink's vet visit yesterday
some things kind of clicked in my head.  So....... I am in need of the
answer to a question concerning a perplexing symptom Rinkydink is having.
 
First, before her surgery in Oct, Rinkydink had a barium series done.
The series showed that the barium took a LOT longer than it should have
to cycle thru her system.  That was one of the main reasons we opted for
surgery, sure there was a partial blockage of some kind.
 
Second, a couple of mornings ago, I found pink tinged froth, phlegm in the
bottom of her cage.  I thought blood, Dr. Howard beleives it was the pink
medicine, sulfatrim.  She was given the med the nite before, which would
mean that it laid on her stomach for hours.
 
Third, at the vet visit yesterday, Dr. Howard palpatated her stomach at
3 pm.  He said her stomach felt like it was full of food.  Her last feeding
was at 11 am so was 4 hours previous.  And that feeding was minimal as it
was forced ad and water.  Rinkydink had quit eating on her own the night
before.  Her last 4 feedings before her vet visit were forced and minimal.
 
I was under the impression that a ferrets metabolism was approx 3 to 4
hours, so the food, medicine and barium should have been long gone in all
instances.
 
Do you think this may be part of Rinkydink's problem?  Is this symptomatic
of EE?  Is there a way to speed her metabolism?  Is this a different
disease or medical problem in addition to her EE?  Is this damage caused
by the EE?
 
Thank You,
Karen
[Posted in FML issue 3304]