Hello everyone,
My 6-8 year old rescued ferret (I've had him about 5 years) has recently
been diagnosed with CRF. His decline has been rapid, and heartbreaking.
I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts or advice. The past two
weeks have been a blur of 2-3 hour naps, feedings, medicine, sub-q fluids,
and the ubiquitous roller coaster ride.
Finn's bloodwork came back very negatively last Tuesday, and apparently
represented an extremely rapid decline according to his bloodwork not 6
weeks previous to it.
His:
BUN 52.9 H mmol/l (normal ferret values with this lab 5.9-14.0)
Creatine 162 H umol/l 75-156
Potassium 4.1 mmol/l 4.0-5.7
Calcium 1.26 L mmol/l 2.31-2.70
Phosphorus 10.30 H mmol/l 0.92-2.15
Total Protein 76 H g/l 50-74
Sgpt [alt] 407 H iu/l 87-340
Sgot [ast] 155 iu/l 100-420
Carbon Dioxide 12 L mmol/l 18-26
Anion Gap 29 H 07-19
Creatine Phosphokinase 500 H iu/l 35-245
Gamma GT 85 H iu/l 4-25
Comments: Azotemia has worsened and Calcium has dropped. Possibly due
to a marked increase in Phosphorus. High protien likely reflects
dehydration. ALT is now elevated and GGT has risen -hepatic problems?
Moderate acidosis reflects renal disease. Suspect uremic ulceration.
A cautious prognosis is warranted. Are clients giving Sub-Q fluids?
We also did a Doppler machine blood pressure measurement... 140
something... forget. So, Finn was placed on Fortekor, Tumil-K, Pepcid-AC,
AmphoGel,Vetamino, and 20 cc Sub-Q fluids (Lactated Ringers) twice a day.
He was already taking Periactin, and Baytril. He is fed Duck Soup
6 - 7 times per day- about 100 ml/day, and hydrated orally- was about
70-90 ml/day, now down to 50 ml/day. His condition has worsened this
week. We have not yet re-done the bloodwork as we are trying to determine
the efficacy of taking more blood when he is already most likely anaemic.
Yesterday was astonishing though- for the first time in almost two weeks,
he got up on his own, walked around for a good 5 minutes or so, smelled
his surroundings, and was just generally determined to do something other
than allow himself to be poked at.
Today is another bad one though. I think he's retaining fluids.... belly
larger, bluish... raspy wet sound in his lungs- difficulty breathing...
Dr wants to see him in the next day or two, but in the meantime has him
on Lasix... somewhat at cross purposes, but the best idea for a day or
two he thinks. Up to this point, he's lost a significant amount of weight
and muscle mass, has been twitching regularly, coughing, anorexic, mouth
ulceration, weak neck, possible/probable anaemia... He's still Finn
though, thus my reasons for not taking that final step for him: he hasn't
asked yet... it would feel too much like killing him- I keep fighting for
now, waiting to see if he can pull out of the crisis, but my instincts
tell me that is probably not a possibility. My vet keeps me grounded-
he's been great... but I still second-guess everything.
So. Finn is in pretty bad shape. I worry daily about my ethical
responsibilities to Finn vs my responsibilities as a mother who loves him.
Yesterday I thought there might be a chance he was moving out of crisis,
but today I'm not so sure. Anyway- if anyone has any thoughts, they'd be
appreciated. Thank you.
Linda Irvine & Finn
[Posted in FML issue 3701]
|
