I need information on the new illness which was reported in shelters in NY
and central N.J.  Am trying FML and folks most likely to know the sources
of info, while keeping the phone open for the vet's reply.  We are in North
Central N.J.
 
Hopefully, when Spot jerked during some medication he just scratched his
palate against his medication syringe (I can live with the guilt of not
being vigilant enough to prevent a scratch, and HOPE either that or a piece
of crunchies is the cause.) but late last night he bled from the mouth some
and what looked like a blood blister was on his soft palate.  It stopped
bleeding rapidly, but apparently re-openned during the night since he woke
up with blood on one side of his face this morning.  Right now it looked far
less angry.  Have a call in to Hanan just in case.  Didn't panic because I
was certain I must have scratched him.
 
Anyway, Spot's been under treatment -- first for enormous hairballs, then
for a GI problem following the hair balls passing through him.  At that
point he was first treated for possible infection (Amoxi 2 weeks, carafate
ditto, Tagamet longer) and about half way through those meds when he was
still grinding Prednisone was begun because of his colitis history.  In the
beginning there was no palate sore.  Hanan checked his mouth very carefully.
Steve and I did not check his mouth afterward until last night because Spot
hates it.  Spotty still rejects most hard foods, but does eat AD mixed with
warn water.
 
As a precaution I need to know more about what the shelters with the palate
sore - wasting disease have been seeing, what was tried, what was used on
survivors, what was used on those who did not survive.  Were the
non-survivors compromised animals?  Spotty is a 6 year old MF albino whose
only problem till he got ECE over a year ago was a cracked tooth root.
Since then he has had trouble maintaining body wieght and has an easily
upset gut so you can see why it just may be a combo of that with a palate
scratch.  You can also see why I need to know more as a precaution.  If it
is the same thing it sounds like a far more gentle case than some reported.
 
No one else has broken with anything like this (this includes a 7 year old
PV in poor health with heart disease, another 6 year old MF who is sturdy
as an ox, and four younger ferrets from assorted sources).  We have been
exceedingly careful to not be around any other ferrets because the advanced
state of 'Chopper's cardiomyopathy requires caution; we have also not
knowingly been around any ferret owners recently.
 
Information on this new illness is greatly appreciated.  Feel free to copy
to FML since I am sure others will want to know more.
[Posted in FML issue 2385]