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Post by bitbyter on May 15, 2013 8:39:55 GMT -5
At this point I think we are in the clear and can safely assume it was some kind of strange infection. Wilma is more active in the last two days than I have seen her in the last month or so. She is putting on her winter weight well and her ear is healing very well (scabs starting to come off and the skin looks good underneath). She actually tried to bite me this morning when I gave her the meds.
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Post by Sherry on May 15, 2013 18:07:17 GMT -5
Hopefully this whole mess is finally cleared up.
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Post by bitbyter on May 15, 2013 18:22:36 GMT -5
Yep, fingers crossed.
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Post by bitbyter on May 16, 2013 7:37:03 GMT -5
Well, it looks like we are heading back to the vet tomorrow for some more in depth diagnostic testing. Her right back paw is now swollen up and red again. Some of the scabby things on her back / neck are back as well. Behaviour wise still is active, perky and eating like a horse, stool looks fine. She is still very itch though (that seemed to calm down for a few days after I started the antibiotics).
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Post by Sherry on May 16, 2013 9:06:19 GMT -5
Oh no
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Post by bitbyter on May 16, 2013 9:33:16 GMT -5
Yeah, and I can't get an appointment until Tuesday. I don't think it's necessary to get her in right away at this point but I would like to get to the bottom of this. He's going to do a full blood workup and take some skin biopsies. Anything I should know about regarding leaving her at the vet for a period of time (he said a few hours)?
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2013 9:59:57 GMT -5
awwh! poor little one. sorry to hear you both are going thru so much. i doubt this will help, but who knows. i was doing research on my daughters girlfriends dog, who has severe allerigies. i found that food allergies are very common, and ear infections go hand in hand. just a thought to add to all the other possibilities.
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Post by bitbyter on May 16, 2013 10:25:54 GMT -5
She is raw fed and I haven't added anything new to her diet. It's horrible, but I am starting to think it might be something serious like cancer or early adrenal symptoms (sever itchiness, no hair loss anywhere though).
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Post by Heather on May 16, 2013 12:31:21 GMT -5
I've never seen swelling like that with adrenal.....sounds almost like allergies. I wonder if the medication (which she was allergic to) was the trigger causing her immune system to go into hyperdrive. It happens. It sounds like an auto immune response. If ferrets could get lupus....Does she respond at all to benedryl (I think that's the one you can give ferrets...Sherry would know better) ciao
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Post by Sherry on May 16, 2013 12:42:50 GMT -5
Children's benedryl, yes. Not sure of the dosage though. Although- if benedryl gets rid of what's happening and keeps it away then you know you are likely dealing with an allergy.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2013 14:14:02 GMT -5
Your vet should be able to give you a dose for the children's Benadryl (liquid version). They generally have animal dosings for human drugs at vet clinics.
I would maybe give that a try before putting her through the extensive testing. What makes me suspect allergies is that it is her ears and her feet affected. From working in a vet clinic with dogs and cats for 3 years, ears and feet are the most common areas for swelling and hives when there is an allergy.
I know you haven't changed her food or environment lately but what does she currently eat? And have for bedding (what detergent do you use? What about dryer sheets?). Animals can actually develop allergies at any point in their lives (whereas people usually have them from childhood). So if her immune system was compromised from the infection / drugs / whatever else, it's possible she developed an allergy to something she has Been eating / sleeping on forever.
You may want to give the Benadryl a go. But also switch to completely hypoallergenic scent free detergent (plus a vinegar rinse) and make sure the dryer sheets are scent free too. You may also want to put her on a hypoallergenic diet and then slowly add different proteins back in to see if you can figure it out.
The other option is running an allergen blood panel on her. It can test for all proteins. They run kind of pricey though.
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Post by bitbyter on May 16, 2013 14:33:42 GMT -5
I just found this thread on ferret.com and it sounds exactly link what is happening to Wilma: www.forum.ferret.com/tm.aspx?high=&m=220002&mpage=1#220094 unfortunately no answers there. Hopefully Uncle Joe and Yuri Avalon can let me know if that person is still active and if there ever was a diagnosis. Her foot is so swollen at the moment that it is hard and she is limping (never did this the other times she had swollen paws). All her toes are spread out like you were spreading your fingers as far as you could. I just feel so helpless. I'm going to pickup some children's Benadryl and try that. I think my vet said 1/4 tsp or less when he mentioned it. Does that sound about right?
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Post by Heather on May 16, 2013 14:58:22 GMT -5
Poor wee mite....I can't help you with the dosage, can you call your vet's office? Describe the type of agony she's in and ask what the dosage might be or if she doesn't like that can she offer an alternative. I know my vet has given me a prescription or called in meds if she figures that this will give relief faster than I can get to her. ciao
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Post by bitbyter on May 16, 2013 15:00:07 GMT -5
My vet (my uncle) is on the road (on the way to the cottage). I'm going to call him there in a few hours.
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Post by Heather on May 16, 2013 15:01:31 GMT -5
Good luck. Will she allow you to apply cold compresses to her foot (not thinking likely...most children won't allow it either) ciao
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