To Paula Smith:
>What symptoms would Chloramphenicol be used for in ferrets?
 
Essentially, CHPC is used for the treatment of a specific disease, not a
collection of symptoms.  The disease which it is used for is proliferative
colitis, a bacterial infection of the cells of the large intestine which
results in polypoid growth of the lining of the colon, fresh blood in the
stools, frequent small bowel movements, and pain on defecation.
Proliferative colitis is an uncommon sporadic disease primarily seen in
young male ferrets under 14 months of age.  If Kitka isn't showing these
PARTICULAR signs, I don't think that CHPC is a good choice.  It certainly
isn't one of my choices for GI diseases in ferrets - it essentially only
works well in this disease.
 
>Does anybody have advice, instructions, etc. about giving subcutaneous
>fluids?
 
Paula - giving subcutaneous fluids is something that only takes a little bit
of practice to master, but you should schedule ten minutes or so with your
vet and let he/she show you how it's done.  If done properly, there is very
little damage that you can do - but you need to know the spots where the are
best absorbed, where the chance of hitting a small vessel is minimized, the
angle of the injection, etc.
 
I sure you will understand if I refer you to your vet rather than comment
on the FML on this one.  I am a firm believer that most owners can do this
if need be, but this is best demonstrated in person rather than over a
computer link.
 
Best of the holiday season to you and Kitka - I hope that she is feeling
better already...
 
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP              Chief Pathologist, AccuPath
Dept. of Veterinary Pathology               [log in to unmask]
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1425]