http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1423922&messageid=561 http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1423922&messageid=567 >What does mucus in a ferret's stool indicate? Usually it indicates irritation of the colon/rectum. >We have one little guy who has been losing weight steadily for months. >His stools are formed but soft, bird-seedy, and more often than not are >filled with mucus, sometimes greenish, sometimes not. This isn't a green >slime poop, it's more composed of bird seed bits held together by mucus. > >A few weeks ago I put this little guy on a daily supplement of chicken >gravy with heavy cream. We managed to stabilize his weight and even put >a couple of ounces back on, but the stools still concern me. > >He's a little over a year old and is just as lively as he can be, so I'm >baffled as to what's going on with the little guy. His digestion has >never been great, and we may have seen an episode of ECE late last year, >but he didn't start the weight loss until this year. I'd get a biopsy, I'm very suspicious of some sort of infiltrative intestinal disease - eosinophilic gastroenteritis or IBD come to mind. and >Dr. Purcell, good to hear from you! Thanks for the reply. You are very welcome. It's nice to be caught up on my email for a change (the rest of the week is looking a little busy ;-) >SNIP> >The first pathologist called it EE, but when we had a ferret path review >the sample, it came back inconclusive. There were a few eosinophils in >the sample, but not enough to be significant. There was no peripheral >eosinophilia at the time. That's when we decided it may be ECE. > >I'm aware that this may have changed and we may now be dealing with >either EE or IBD. > ><sigh> I don't want to have to cut, but that may be the only answer. >My vet feels that it is harder to diagnose from an endoscopic sample >since it is not full-thickness. Would you agree? Completely. Besides, it is good to get a look at the tissues. Last EE ferret I cut, I was sure it was lymphoma, but pathologists are around for a reason Glad I could help on this one, please keep us posted. -Dr. Karen [log in to unmask] Everett, MA DISCLAIMER: This e-mail is provided for general informational purposes only. It is in no way intended as a replacement for a consultation with a qualified licensed veterinarian. If you are concerned about your pet's health, you should seek the advice of your regular veterinarian as soon as possible. [Posted in FML issue 3861]