Hi to all the Ferret loved and to those who love ferrets.
 
Dr Williams, could you help please.
 
In your professional opinion, could a severe infestation of ear mites in a
ferret lead to neurological problems.  Ssendelos, a rescue with cauliflower
ear,came back to me a few months ago and had bad ear mites.  I treated him
with Ivamec oral and thought I had got on top of it.  But maybe not as I
can not see into his cauli ear.  He lost an awful lot of weight and then
lost the use of his back legs.  He was still eating and pooping.
Antibiotics did nothing..X-rays and blood and urine were good.  He was
started on Prednisone and was back up on his feet almost by the next day.
Still very wobbly and falling and dragging often but at least UP.It must
be 3 - 4 weeks now that he has been on pred and he has regained a lot more
strength in his legs but is still very thin and not too inclined to put the
weight back on.
 
Second Ferret.  A rescue called Fido came to me in late December.  Always a
very CLINGY ferret.  This clinging on with his feet got worse and worse
until we had to pry his grip off things.  He slowly started to loose a bit
of weight.  I put it down to stress.  He seemed to be O.K. otherwise.  I
rehomed him.  Two days later his new family rung me to say he very
lethargic and would stand in the one place staring, wobble and then fall
over.He had also stopped eating but they were hand feeding him.  Two days
later they bought him back to me.  He was arching his head right back and
going kind of stiff for a few seconds and then relaxing a bit.He would
repeat this over and over untill sleep and then sleep at a strange angle.He
was only just standing but not walking.  His front legs were very low to
the ground and tight in to his body.  His reflexes were poor and he looked
as thow he had just gotten into someone's stash of cannabis oil his eyes
were so blank.  The lights were on, but know one was home.  He was
immediately started on pred..  He has been on the pred for the last two
weeks and is 85% recovered.  I think.
 
Now.  Shortly after he took ill I noticed He had quite bad ear mites.  I
gave both these boys a good dose of Ivomec oral.  Coincidence i suppose,
but they did start to improve and, well, I just wondered if earmites could
trigger a neurological responce.
 
Thank you so much for your time,
Kindest Regards,
Colleen and the Squilibrato ones.
Ferret PAWS (NZ) Inc
Ferret Protection and Welfare Society.
[Posted in FML issue 3321]