I have a sick ferret who needs some help.  He is currently staying at the
animal hospital but my vets aren't sure yet what's wrong.  Chubba Wubba is a
5 year old (MF) male with an enlarged spleen (been that way for at least two
years with no noticable health problems).  On Sunday he was eating and
drinking but not wanting to play, only sleep but seemed okay when I roused
him awake.  On Monday evening I only saw him drink (I work during weekdays)
and he immediately went back to sleep after I let him out and he would only
look at me when I would wake him.  I felt a small lump protruding under his
ribs on the left side that I am sure was not there (or at least that
noticable) on Saturday.  I check him almost daily to feel his spleen.  I
took him into the vet on Tuesday thinking it was a tumor.
 
Turns out it is the end of his spleen and is doubling back over.  His spleen
is very large now (at least five inches long by the feel of it) and he had a
temp of 1040F and he's pretty lethargic.  I had to leave him there and they
were doing to do blood work.  This morning his temp has gone up to 105.  Not
all of the blood work is back yet but this is it so far:
 
His white blood count is normal, his lymphosite count is 350.  My vet
expected it to be bacterial but now thinks it's viral.  She is going to give
him baytril and steriods to prevent a secondary infection and to try and get
the fever down.  Surgery is not an option til the fever goes away.  She and
my other vet think it may be influenza but are not sure at this point.  I
did have some kind of bug two weeks ago but it was mainly sinsus (but my
lymp nodes were pretty swollen).
 
If anyone has any ideas of what to check for or what could be going on
please post here or email me directly.  I want to get him well as quickly as
I can and I also need to know if this is something my other ferrets might
get.  I just had one (Oreo) go thru adrenal surgery and I don't want her to
get sick so soon again.  (She is doing very well BTW and even already
growing back the fur she lost to adrenals!)
 
Any help for Chubba Wubba would get desperately appreciated! Thank you
in advance.
 
Pam Franklin <[log in to unmask]>
[Posted in FML issue 1816]