To Eric concerning Hershey:
 
>I just got home from vacation and found Hershey looking very sick. She is
>staggering around, and holding her head sideways, looking very dizzy, and
>seems to have lost weight over the five days I
>was away.  She was given plenty of food over the five days, and I did have
>omeone looking after them while I was gone.  I haven't seen any
>signs of pain or discomfort, nor did I feel any unusual lumps in her neck,
>head, or abdomen when I held her.  She still takes raisins and is drinking
>water, and remains quite active, though she shows little interest in her Iams
>food, at least right now.
 
Eric, I'm sure by the time you read this, you will have taken Hershey to the
vet.  I think she needs a complete workup at this point.  There are many
things that may cause the signs that you mentioned, but at the top of my
list would be and islet cell tumro(insulinoma).  The low blood sugars caused
by these tumors very commonly cause disorientation and stupor.  The animals
don't feel uncomfortable, but there are very weak and out of touch with
their surroundings.  Of course, there may also be an ear infection or other
types of diseases, by hypoglycemia is far more common than any of them.
Make sure that both a complete cell count and a chemistry panel is done on
Hershey's blood.  It may run you $50 or so, but it's worth every penny.
 
        Let us know what the Dr. finds out....
 
       Bruce Williams, DVM                 Department of Veterinary Pathology
       [log in to unmask]         Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
       (202) 576-2453/2454                 Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
 
[Posted in FML issue 0931]