Colitis (Chronic?) -
Perhaps the doctors on the list have some suggestions.
Gizzies sick again.  Instead of starting with the diarrhea,
it started with the orange gel.  His poor little bottom is
inflamed and I know it hurts cause he squirms so when I
clean him and apply the cortaid ointment.  I dropped him
off at the vet this morning and Dr. Nelson will run more
tests, which we really don't think will show anymore than
last time, but we have to try something.  I'll post the
results, if any, tomorrow.  I also dropped off a
bibliography of ferret medical articles in hopes that
she'll find something to help.  So far everything we've
read suggests antibiotics and supportive therapy, but it
takes so long.  If this runs the same course as the earlier
one this year (this means Gizzie will only be well - 4
months this year), it will take 3-4 months to clear up.  I
administer oral Gentocin for 6 weeks, clean him and apply
ointment several times a day, feed him his special recipe
and yogurt, and make sure he gets plenty of fluids.  I
don't keep Gizzie quarantined as this would kill him (he
gets severely depressed and won't eat or drink) and it
doesn't seem to be contagious, as no one else has been
infected.  Is there anything else I should be doing?  Is
there anyway to stop this from recurring?  Could it be
stress or diet related?
 
Instead of conducting unwarranted research like the
shedding studies on ferrets, why can't the researchers work
on curing deadly existing illnesses!
 
Extra hugs to all fuzzies!  tle
 
[Posted in FML issue 0913]