To Diane:
Before Christmas, I had a similar problem with Litje.  He had a mild illness
for a couple of days, and was responding well to Albon; when all of a
sudden, ploooey!  His stool went from normal to totally liquid, and somewhat
explosive.  No discoloring or anything funny, but food was just going right
through him.  His appetite increased to more than what my other three
ferrets were eating put together, just to keep up with his digestion (no, he
didn't gain weight, it looked like he was starting to lose weight after a
couple of days) He was also starting to dehydrate, although he was drinking
more than double his normal amount (including a lot of Pedialyte.) After a
couple of days, he quit bouncing and started moping.  The vet did extensive
blood and fecal testing, and gave him fluids sub-q.  All the lab could find
was : pac (sp) cells very mildly down, indicating the possible start of
anemia, and a much higher than normal level of gram negative bacteria in his
gut.  Apparently the early mild illness depressed his system just enough
that the normal balance of his gut was upset, and bacteria normally present
and harmless in small amounts was able to increase to levels able to affect
his digestion.  10 days on Flagyl put him completely back to normal.  The
vet suggested that stress, or an illness too mild to be noticed, could also
cause similar side effects in some animals.  (People too!  Notice how some
kinds of ulcers get started, and you're more prone to colds when you're
stressed?  ;-))
 
Litje sends his sympathy and a lick on the ear to Rocket.  Please let us
know what the vet says, and how he is doing!
 
Carla & the Woozlemaniacs
[Posted in FML issue 1434]