These vet replies are in response to:
 
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Haven't gotten the actual FHL digest yet, so not sure what (if anything)
my colleagues have said, but to me, what this sounds like is a probable
blood clot episode (saddle thrombus) such as we see in cats with
cardiomyopathy on occasion.  What happens is that they throw a blood clot
and it lodges in the point where the aorta divides and goes into the back
legs.  The cats lose all control, strength and usually are unable to move
their back legs, which tend to be quite cold to the touch.  They are
quite painful, usually.
 
The report of the types of cells is of interest mostly to another
pathologist - for us it means mainly that there is indication of some
degree of heart failure.  The congestion in the spleen goes along with
that, as does the edema in the lungs.
 
Cardiomyopathy can be "silent" for a long time - the cats we see with
these blood clots have almost never been diagnosed with any type of
heart disease.  It would explain the symptoms as far as I can see.
 
So sorry for your loss.
 
Dr. Ruth
********************************************
Puppies kiss better than most people.
 
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Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can cause most of the signs you are
describing.  If your ferret also had a "saddle thrombus" that would
explain the hind limb ataxia, but just heart failure alone would cause
some hind limb weakness.  Sudden death is common with hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy, and the pulmonary edema is common with congestive
heart failure.
 
Sorry about your loss,
Jerry Murray, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 4809]