Linda, one hypothesis about adrenal disease points to a possible viral
trigger which is more likely to be active in combination with some other
things such as early neutering. I guess if the the number of ferrets
with adrenal problems begin being seen elsewhere in Europe that may help
point in that direction (though that would not be the sole possible
explanation of such a sweep). I suspect that a number of other, more
easily studied hypotheses will have proven themselves or been disproven
some time before we have causal answers for something as complex as the
adrenal neoplasia patterns.
Wolfy, There was a published wolf stress study (measured biological
markers) someone shared with me years ago and their results showed a
low level of stress in the omega (lowest). We've had a few ferrets
who seemed happy to be at the bottom rung, but others have found it
stressful -- going from behavior -- so that is another difference.
Meant put that in yesterday but then got interrupted by a call that
Steve's dad's lungs are kicking up again. (Those who also have older
parents who sometimes do dangerous things and know that Evan caused his
damage by not following directions on an OTC cold remedy will join me
in an "Arrggghhh.". Then again, my dad is stubborn, too -- and still
climbed ladders in recent years(even when dizzy) til his last fall which
knocked him out, and doesn't always stick to the sucrose-no
(fructose-okay or starches-okay) rules for his diabetes that can be
maintained by diet, and still now and then eats something which has
spoiled to not "waste" it, and doesn't carry his anakit, and drives
though he shouldn't even though the state licences him, and... -- but
despite his stubborness he has made it to 88. Granted, he'd be in better
shape if he was more compliant about some medical advice the doctors give
him but he'd also be in better shape if he didn't get stubborn and leave
physician after physician in a huff when he doesn't like their advice,
resulting in too little medical care... With my dad you just have to
forget what he should do and just be glad he's still doing stuff. For
Steve's dad it's really scary, though, even though he is only 80; he
did serious damage to himself with that OTC cold remedy and it's almost
killed him a few times this year. I wish that folks would always read
instructions and precautions for any meds no matter who the patient is
(and for ferrets check with vet first because too often a med that humans
can have will poison ferrets).
That is why I had that ("hierarchy") in the subject line yesterday,
Rebecca, but then didn't mention omega animals; had a senior health
distraction time in there... Can you tell there have been a lot of
those this year?
Ulcer question (Was that here a while back?) I finally found the old
newspaper blurb from the NY Times about the article but not the article
itself though I suspect that you can find it in the 2001 stuff at PUBMED.
Sorry, they didn't mention study authors' names. Anyway, the upshot is
that it is ammonia that the Helicobacter makes from the digesting
material (in this case species pylori was studied) and it uses that to
make the stomach less acidic in its local area. Normally, in ferrets
Helicobacter mustelae sets itself up in the least acidic area of the
stomach, but it is entirely possible that it also finds lowered stomach
pH to be useful to its survival and uses the same or a similar mechanism
to protect itself from stomach acid. There is work going on, apparently,
to try to stop the mechanism the bacterium uses to create ammonia, so
that the normal acid levels of the stomach have a chance to kill the
Helicobacter. BTW, while there is some good evidence from experts like
researchers at the Comparative Medicine Division of MIT pointing to
Helicobacter as an ulcer culprit the final proof still is not in for
ferrets, though there are reasons to think of it as a possible route.
Did you go to the FHL Archives and look up those past vets' posts on not
using an antacid, and instead using a bandaging med like Carafate? If
so, there is now a liquid version of Carafate that regular pharmacies
can get in for you. Anyway, do read the vets' posts on why to skip the
buffering meds if you haven't already. If you are here then send me a
thank you for this info so that I won't wonder if I have missed you
somewhere. I know where you aren't but not where you are.
More juggling is going on for the meds of Seven of Six who will have had
Complete A/V Heart Node Block for 4 months on the 20th. She is going
downhill now but we are managing with med re-arrangements to keep her
quality of life high.
[Posted in FML issue 3940]
|
