FERRET-SEARCH@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG
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Date: | Mon, 23 Apr 2001 00:48:37 -0400 |
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>The questions... What could cause the intestine to perforate? If
>exploratory surgery would have been done the first visit or even the
>second one could he have survived? I'm not asking for a guarantee ...
Dear XXXXXXX:
Sometimes you see perforations for no apparent reason. AS you indicated,
foreign material can result in perforation - especially if there has been
a blockage for any significant period of time.
Another cause of perforation is neoplasia - certain tumors can weaken the
wall of intestine and result in tearing - lymphoma is probably the most
common of these.
Generally , if there are feces in the abdomen, the prognosis is very poor -
at best you have a severe septic process with a mixed bacterial population.
One thing that I have some trouble with is the fact that we have a
perforation and feces in the abdomen, but the bloodwork did not show
any elevation in WBCs?
It is always a difficult issue to determine when surgery is appropriate. I
tend to agree with you - if there is a question, then you go in preferably
earlier than later. I would rather rule out the possibility of a blockage
by surgery and come up with nothing, than wait until a ferret is a worse
surgical candidate. But, not being at the original presentation of your
ferret, and with the bloodwork not being markedly abnormal, I am hesitant
to second guess your vet on this one.
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
Join the Ferret Health List at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list
[Posted in FML issue 3396]
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