These vet replies are in response to: http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm? gid=1423922&messageid=12997&startid=13011 http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm? gid=1423922&messageid=13010&startid=13011 Haven't gotten the actual FHL digest yet, so not sure what (if anything) my colleagues have said, but to me, what this sounds like is a probable blood clot episode (saddle thrombus) such as we see in cats with cardiomyopathy on occasion. What happens is that they throw a blood clot and it lodges in the point where the aorta divides and goes into the back legs. The cats lose all control, strength and usually are unable to move their back legs, which tend to be quite cold to the touch. They are quite painful, usually. The report of the types of cells is of interest mostly to another pathologist - for us it means mainly that there is indication of some degree of heart failure. The congestion in the spleen goes along with that, as does the edema in the lungs. Cardiomyopathy can be "silent" for a long time - the cats we see with these blood clots have almost never been diagnosed with any type of heart disease. It would explain the symptoms as far as I can see. So sorry for your loss. Dr. Ruth ******************************************** Puppies kiss better than most people. http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm? gid=1423922&messageid=13008&startid=13011 Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can cause most of the signs you are describing. If your ferret also had a "saddle thrombus" that would explain the hind limb ataxia, but just heart failure alone would cause some hind limb weakness. Sudden death is common with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and the pulmonary edema is common with congestive heart failure. Sorry about your loss, Jerry Murray, DVM [Posted in FML issue 4809]