Hello FML,
 
I have an 8 yr old little girl, Leah, who has become very ill and i'm
just looking to the FML for some advice or ideas on what might be wrong
with her.  *DISCLAIMER*...I have already taken her to the emergency
vet...just looking for additional thoughts here.
 
Leah's history: I rescued her at age four and at that time she checked
out to have a good bill of health.  She has never fallen ill to anything
in her whole life (except for ear mites in the past).  I give all my
ferrets hairball paste, ferretvite and ferretone on a regular basis and
recently (approx.  three weeks ago) Leah passed a smaller sized hairball
and her stools since then have been fine.  Although, approx. starting
three days ago, I noticed that they were very small in size and darker
than usual (but only once in a while, throughout the day they may go
back to regular color and consistency) and she was going more.  She was
running around fine this whole week and I noticed a slight bit of weight
loss, but she's been eating and drinking fine.  Well, yesterday morning
she couldn't hardly even lift her head.  She would get up walk and plop
down, she had a hard time holding her own weight up.
 
I took her immediately to the emergency vet (great ferret vet) and he
checked her glucose, etc.  She was very, very dehydrated and her glucose
was at 70.  He gave her subcutaneous fluids and a vitamin b shot.  She
has a slightly enlarged spleen and a little hair loss on her tail.  For
an 8-year old ferret everything else looked good (except for she has
slowed down a bit over the last year, but she still has a lot of piss and
vinegar in her most times).  Anyways, I took her home and am continuing
giving her pedialyte and duck soup (she doesn't eat much at all, but at
least some of it is getting in her).  I'm going to take her in first
thing tomorrow again because I want them to check for a possible
blockage.  X-rays will more than likely be done tomorrow.  I've lost 3
fuzzies in the past, one to insulinoma, one to adrenal complications and
one to carcinoma.  Leah does not have a swollen vulva (which I know isn't
necessarily a sign that always presents itself with adrenal, or other
signs of adrenal except for a bit of hair loss on the tail).  And she's
never exhibited signs of insulinoma.  Anyone have any ideas what else
might be going on with her.  She sleeps wrapped up in her favorite
blanket and lays on my chest all day.  I'm so worried about her.  Thanks
FML!!!
 
You may respond to this e-mail address or my daytime e-mail address which
is: [log in to unmask]
 
Thanks so much...have a warm *fuzzy* day!
 
Tracy
Roo(RooBear), Chico and Leah (and three fur-angels: Pepe', Tango and
Spunky)
[Posted in FML issue 4292]