Wasting disease:
 
While I won't go into great detail here, I would like some advice from
people who have gone through a wasting disease in a ferret.  A couple of
months ago, my son's old guy, Orion, began wasting away.  It happened
very suddenly.  His legs became weak and he would only eat a little at a
time...even of his beloved chicken gravy.  He developed black, tarry stools
and really looked pathetic.  He lost 50% of his body weight in a very short
time.  Despite carafate, pediapred and pepto, he wasted away to where he
couldn't make the litter box or even walk very well.  When I would first
set him down on the floor, his legs just went out from under him.  My son
did not want a necropsy done and I had to respect is wishes.
 
My old guy, Draco, whom some of you may remember from last year with his
exploratory surgery (expecting to find he was full of tumors), but finding
only a grossly enlarged spleen (which was removed) and fat pads.  I
requested and received lots of help reading his pathology report on his
spleen, liver and pancreas...no cancer at all, and his adrenals looked
fine.  Basically, the finding was "unspecified" disease and
"malabsorption".  He came through the surgery fine, despite his age (6-7+ -
he was a shelter ferret).  He didn't really get well, though, until Bob's
chicken gravy.  For the last 7-8 months, he's been doing absolutely great,
acting like a kit, he had so much energy.  He also made friends with some
of the other ferrets here about 4 months ago, (for the first time since he
lost his long time cage mate over 1 1/2 years before).  One of those he
began sharing a cage with was Orion.  They developed a very strong bond
and slept together in the same hammock.  Well, now Draco is doing the same
thing.  He has lost 40% of his body weight over the past two weeks or so.
He is eating less and sleeping more.  He is on quite a few meds...an
antibiotic, carafate and something for the diarrhea.  He's also back on
pred as his glucose is a little low.  His blood work up showed low red
cells, which my vet said is consistent with chronic disease.  He also has
fluid in his intestines, but apparently no pain.  We're giving him frequent
feedings of the gravy and encouraging him to eat a little kibble.  This is
so scary as it's exactly what Orion had.  Orion did a lot of lip smacking
towards the end and tonite Draco is starting it...not nearly as bad so far.
Not knowing what else to do, we've sent some blood to be tested for
Aleutian Disease.  Both he and Orion came from the same shelter, are about
the same age and were at the shelter at about the same time.  I don't know
when the results might be back.  I'm taking him to the vet tomorrow to get
weighed again.  He's been on the meds now since Monday night.  His stools
are only slightly more formed but he doesn't have the gas he was having.
He is still pooping too often, in my unmedical opinion.
 
I would appreciate any help with Draco.  He is extremely special to me.
He is my dragon man...he looks just like the dragon in the movie, Dragon
Heart.  If anyone would like to see pictures of him, please e-mail me.
Please also e-mail me directly with any suggestions...similar problems...
anything that might help.  Thank you...
 
Judy
[Posted in FML issue 2814]