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Post by bitbyter on Apr 24, 2013 9:30:21 GMT -5
Cause you worry and stress equally? I noticed this morning that Wilma has been scratching her ears so much that she has scabs on them. As far as I can see there are no signs of mites or wax buildup. I'm thinking with all the issues I have been having with her it's time for a vet checkup.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 24, 2013 9:40:16 GMT -5
It certainly sounds like it. Let us know what is said.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 11:56:46 GMT -5
Could also be a sign of an allergy to something. Has anything changed recently? What you wash the bedding in? Litter? Food? Etc.
For some reason when animals get allergies, it's always their ears that seem to be affected the most. If you gently swab the ear canal (not too deep) with a cotton swab and can't see any buildup (mites leave dark black buildup and regular ear wax is more of a reddish brown colour), then my guess would be allergies. Or possibly adrenal... If she doesn't already have it (sorry hard to keep track of everyone's little ones on here!). Scratching was one of my guy's first and only signs of adrenal until his weight and hair loss recently.
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Post by bitbyter on Apr 24, 2013 12:17:29 GMT -5
I've been slightly suspicious of adrenal for a little while now. She has always been itchier than Socks but it seems to have gone into overdrive in the last month or so (but it is shedding season). She also doesn't seem to be putting on the weight that she lost over the winter (she has her seasons backwards) even though her appetite seems to have increased. Every once and a while I think she smells kind of "burnt" which I have read can be a sign of adrenal but she doesn't always smell this way. She has absolutely no hair loss, no increase in aggression or mating behaviour, although about 4 months ago she started giving kisses whenever she is scratched (I just figured we had finally bonded).
Her ears look clean, no dark deposits and no reddish wax as far as I can see.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 24, 2013 12:19:43 GMT -5
Given those symptoms I think I'd at least start a trial run of lupron for 3 months. If the itchiness and burnt smell disappear then get her the implant.
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Post by bitbyter on Apr 24, 2013 12:22:12 GMT -5
I take it if it isn't adrenal the lupron won't do any harm?
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Post by Sherry on Apr 24, 2013 12:39:55 GMT -5
Not at all. What lupron(and des) does is to block the sex hormones. If they aren't being overproduced then nothing happens. This is actually one way our vet will diagnose.
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Post by bitbyter on Apr 25, 2013 9:22:43 GMT -5
She has an appointment for Saturday. If the issues with her ears turn out to be an infections, mites I can't see or something else, would you still suggest the lupron trial or should I hold off to see if other symptoms increase the evidence. She could just be late with her weight gain for the "winter". She just started shedding this week while Socks started about a week and a half ago. I've only noticed the "burnt" smell once or twice.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2013 10:11:40 GMT -5
Honestly those are the only symptoms Howie had too. Itchier than the others and occasional burnt smell, though half the time I swore I was imagining it. He also got skinnier, but what he lost was muscle mass, still had some belly fat. Look her over very carefully, Howie also had some hair thinning between his back thighs, not a lot - in fact I didn't even notice it but the vet who hadn't seen him for a while noticed it as a change from the last time she saw him. He showed none of the behaviour symptoms though. I would give the Lupron trial a shot. That's what we are doing with Howie until the des implant arrives. He seems less itchy already after a couple weeks.
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Post by bitbyter on Apr 25, 2013 10:33:35 GMT -5
Ok, thanks!! And I thought of a good way to describe the burnt smell. Kind of like woollen mittens that were left to long on a radiator to dry. Almost "crispy".
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Post by Heather on Apr 25, 2013 10:57:31 GMT -5
Someone had mentioned at one time burnt socks....so yes burned mittens is another way to describe it. That's the stench of adrenal. I had a wee boy who smelled from the day I got him. Happy, healthy....never did show any symptoms of adrenal other than that. That particular stench that isn't ferret. That is the smell of adrenal. ciao
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Post by Sherry on Apr 25, 2013 14:36:40 GMT -5
Definitely. Burned mittens, burned sweat socks = adrenal
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2013 8:10:54 GMT -5
That's such a good way to describe it. It's definitely not normal ferret smell at all. Stupid adrenal
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Post by bitbyter on Apr 26, 2013 14:08:14 GMT -5
I'm still hopeful it is not. I know for certain I smelled her once and thought "uh oh" and other time she smelt a little weird but not the burnt smell people describe (both these incidents were in the last 6 - 8 months) but I haven't smelt it since. I have checked her over thoroughly and can find no sign of hair lose (other than normal shedding). She does give me kisses whenever I scritch her these days but I'd prefer to think that is just bonding.
If her ear problems are not due to an infection, mites or wax related then I think I'll do the lupron trial. If there is a cause for her ears bothering her then I think I may just hold off on the lupron and watch her like a hawk to see if anything else points to early adrenal symptoms.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 26, 2013 17:57:38 GMT -5
Good way to do it Let us know how it goes.
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