Hi,

Yesterday I lost a ferret to what I thought was a severe sinus
infection. She presented last week with a swollen forehead. I started
her on Amoxi and figured that if she didn't improve I would take her to
the vet. The day before Thanksgiving she had not improved and I took
her in. We saw the new vet who likes ferets and is willing to learn
what he doesn't know. I am willing to let them learn, because it helps
me in the long run.

To me this looked like a straight forward problem. He listened to her
lungs and heard some rattles, so he changed her med to one I have never
heard of with sulfa. He spent time researching meds before he decided
on one, because he wanted to make sure he had the right one.

On Sat. she felt better enough to try and eat some kibble. I gave her
fluids in the morning, because she wasn't eating. By this time she was
having trouble breathing, but again her forehead was swollen and I
still thought it was a big sinus infection. Sunday morning the whole
side of her face was swollen. I figured that she had an infected tooth,
which had caused the initial problem and her eating the kibble had
aggravated it, hence the swollen cheek. So I hit her with a huge dose
of amoxi along with the new med.

In the afternoon her face was better, but her breathing was still not
right. So I gave her more fliuds and more antibiotics. Monday morning
first thing I called and made the appointment at the vets.
Unfortunately she died before we got there.

I have lost alot of ferrets over the years and I never really need to
know exactly why they died. This time I need to know.

We saw my other vet and he checked her mouth, teeth and everywhere
else. He feels that her problem was not an infection or lymphoma, but
a heart problem. In all the wierd stuff my ferrets have had over they
years I have never dealt with a heart problem.

Now my question. To those of you who have had ferrets with heart
problems, does it manifest as fluid in the face? I feel awful that it
never occurred to me that it might be her heart. I know when people
have fluid from heart problems it goes to their extremeties,
particularly feet and legs.

There is nothing that I can do for her, but I certainly can use this as
a learning experience for the next time. Before anyone jumps on me for
not using a ferret knowledgeable vet, I also have one of those for big
problems. She is alot more expensive and a much furthur drive and I
didn't think this was as much of a problem as it was!

Thanks for all of your help.

Laurie Austin MA mom to 23 rescued ferrets

[Posted in FML 6534]