Hi,
This is for the vets and techs, or, for that matter, those who've knowledge
of heart diseases in ferrets.
Minnie - little runt of one-and-a-quarter pounds, about 20-months old,
albino, gorgeous girl - has a 3-of-6 rating heart murmur. But she has come
through a spay operation recently with flying colors (no complications), and
is recuperating beautifully. Phew! (wiping sweat from my brow). Tarzan
was neutered, too, though his hormones are backing off rather slowly.
QUICK QUESTION on Tarzan. He was in season a couple months pre-neutering,
and I'm wondering how long it will take him to act like our other neutered
boys. When will that testosterone back off a little?!
Minnie got a "CardioPet" ECK test before spay surgery. The doctor said this
was necessary to determine if she was safe for surgery, that the ECG could
show if she had an electrical pattern (can't recall the exact wording) that
could cause her to quickly die under isoflourane (only) anesthesia. I'm
trying to decide if this is a vet whose ferret expertise I can trust... so
DOES THIS SEEM like accurate information? I got no other real diagnostic
info from the test, and, until the doctor told me it could reveal something
that would necessitate not operating at that time, I felt like I'd rather
have put the investment toward an ultrasound, which Minnie hasn't had - just
a full body x-ray and an ECG. This vet was the only one in the area I've
found who uses only isoflourane on ferrets and has an ECG machine.... so,
I'm hoping we have at least one experienced AND up-to-date ferret vet out
west!
MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY, I need to decide whether I need to get Minnie an
ultrasound at this point, or else monitor the heart murmur every six months.
Three doctors, and the ECG, have rated her murmer a three on a scale of six.
She is asymtomatic and never has had symptoms of heart disease to my
knowledge. (She had what appeared to be a bad infection causing lethargy
and anorexia a month and a half ago, which was cleared up by 14 days of
antibiotics. Now she's bouncier than before).
The doctor says the ultrasound could reveal one condition that would be
cureable with an operation, thus saving her from progressive heart disease.
This condition he called Peyton Ductus Arteriolosis (PDA), and I'm sure I
massacred the spelling. CAN YOU OFFER SOME INFO about the operation - it's
risk and potential for success; and its average cost (my vet said
$500-1,000, a pretty broad range!).
He also mentioned two other conditions she could have, a valve defect; or a
defect between the wall of the chambers, which he called a ventricular
septal defect, resulting from a fetal shunt that didn't mature (or
something) properly. These, he said, are treatable by medication.
What I want to determine is if PDA surgery a viable option? If not, would
knowing the source of the murmur dictate or help determine the TYPE or
AMOUNTS of medication Minnie would receive, or, how would the diagnosis aid
treatment? WOULD IT BE BETTER to do the murmur when and if Minnie develops
symptoms of heart disease? This vet says that she will only need a
ultrasound once. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES that she will develop symptomatic
heart disease? (I don't know if it's congenital).
Also, the doctor prescribed 14 days of amoxicillon (sp!!) for both Tarzan
and Minnie following their surgery. I don't like to give (or take)
antibiotics lightly. Plus, Minnie came off 14 days of Baytril about two
weeks ago. IS THIS A bit much? Another vet at the same clinic (he wasn't
available when I asked later) says she sometimes prescribes seven days,
because, if an infection occurs it can be hard to clear up, so she feels
it's better to prevent it. But 14 days?
Thank you all for your time and help. The FML is absolutely wonderful,
and the vets that help out - not to mention you, BIG :) - are saints!
Lynn Mc. and her rambunctious Gang of Seven
[Posted in FML issue 1473]
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