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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 2:36:29 GMT -5
So recently I wrote in about Bandit and his swollen, rashy bottom lip. In the past couple of days it has gotten a slight but worse. He does have a tiny bit of eye crusties (reddish black in color) and his wee wee is a bit swollen and red. What scares me the most is that his front paws are looking a bit odd. I looked up the symptoms for distemper and even though the lip and paws sound like it could be distemper, his wee wee has been red like this before as he is a chubby boy and he has had eye crusties before as he is also my sickie ferret. As for the other symptoms I read about he is def not anorexic, he hasn't lost his appetite, his demeanor and activity level are normal for him, he is pottying fine, and he doesn't in any way seem sick. He isn't even coughing even though that use to be the norm for him. I do admit that he hasn't had a yearly distemper booster in a few years as we have decided not to do he yearly due to negative reactions in the past. Also, his 3 brothers are not showing any of these symptoms. I'm freaking out here, especially after looking at his paws. I'm taking him to the vet tomorrow. In the meantime, can this be ANYTHING else???
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Post by Thérèse on Nov 6, 2013 5:52:28 GMT -5
Yes it could very well be something else particularly because he is not seeming ill. Distemper would make him a very sick boy and usually fairly quickly once symptoms begin to appear. Because he is not extremely ill then there is a good chance you are not dealing with distemper. The vaccination thing should be fine, either he built up immunity from previous vax or if he didn't then having had more vax probably wouldn't have given him immunity either.
As to what else it could be I don't know but the first thing that springs to mind is that he is playing somewhere (like a litter box) that the substance is becoming encrusted on him (like on paws) and also causing mild irritation like the jaw, but that's just an initial thought.
Take him to the vet but don't panic yet, it may be something other than distemper but best to get it checked out.
You and Bandit are in my thoughts and I hope it goes well at the vet and proves to be something minor and easily fixed
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 7:54:32 GMT -5
Alright, i have first hand experience with distemper. Our shelter recently(and by recently i mean the last three months) fought against distemper. We lost half of our shelter..
If it's distemper, he will have a reddish orange patchy rash around his mouth to begin with. His face will swell and his paw pads will get a crusty yellow and eventually swell. His paw pads will be hard. Around his boy bits, he will have the same reddish orange patchy looking rash down the middle to his butt. His butt will also be swollen and there would be sort of a blackish crust around his anus and on it. Once it gets to the worst point, his entire body will be covered in the rash. I will be getting pictures for you soon to confirm. Do also keep in mind that we had two different reactions as far as distemper goes. We had the ones that went full body rash and ones that got small patches of the rash with some pink skin a millimeter or so in space from each other... Their paw pads were not quite thickened to the extent. Signs can vary between ferrets, we've seen this. Though the most common is the rash around the mouth and the in between leg area
Don't freak out please, as it is a possibility he could just be allergic.. but you need to watch him closely and look to see if the rash spreads at all.
Posting pictures of his individual symptoms can be significantly helpful as well.
Also regarding his activity level, we've had some ferrets only slightly less playful until the symptoms increased over the next two days.. If he was the first to come in contact with distemper, it would take another two weeks before his other siblings show signs. The first ferret that i found with distemper(because sadly, i'm the one that always discovers the terrible diseases that plague our shelter. i look harder then the rest and it hurts...) was put down, his cage mate didn't show signs until a week after that. Two and weeks later, was when multiple other shelter ferrets began showing signs... the incubation period for distemper is 7-21 days and varies between ferrets for when they show signs. Please be aware, i'm not trying to scare you. I'm telling you that if it is distemper, you need to know that they won't always show signs right away. If you have any ferrets that have gotten the vaccine, they are less likely to get it but it's still a chance. Those ferrets may not show signs until later then ones who haven't, this saying that they do contract at all.
I wish to you luck, i'll check back with this thread around 4 PM (illinois time)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 12:11:49 GMT -5
So in checking on bandit since early this morning he now has a rash around his nose and the red patch below is lip is crusty and brown. Also, his front paw pads are still swollen and there is dits and crusties around the outlines of the pads.He doesn't have diarrhea, he is still readily eating and I don't think he has a fever. And he is acting normal. This will be about day 5 of this. We have a vet appt in 2 hours. Any ideas? Still freaking out here!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 12:45:48 GMT -5
Praying for your wee one, let us know what happens
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Post by unclejoe on Nov 6, 2013 13:11:21 GMT -5
I'm glad he's going to a vet. He may just have an infection that can be cleared up with antibiotics. Best Wishes.
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Post by Sherry on Nov 6, 2013 14:02:13 GMT -5
Ferreholic- odds of bandit having distemper is highly remote. It goes so fast once physical symptoms start to show. Usually a matter of a very few days. Yes a vet visit is in order, but I wouldn't be freaking out over it Odds are he has a simple infection or allergy.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 16:40:45 GMT -5
Ferreholic- odds of bandit having distemper is highly remote. It goes so fast once physical symptoms start to show. Usually a matter of a very few days. Yes a vet visit is in order, but I wouldn't be freaking out over it Odds are he has a simple infection or allergy. Agreed, this is what is giving me hope. I'm just trying to give as much information as i can.. Not trying to scare you. I'll be posting pictures soon
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 16:51:57 GMT -5
Thank u everyone for the replies. We just got back from the vet. He looked Bandit over and took scrapings of his paws and jaw. He found lots of bacteria. He said he can't rule out distemper at this point but that he thinks it is unlikely. He sent us home with instructions to watch Bandit closely for the next few days and he gave us Clavamox to give Boo for the next 10 days for the bacterial issue. Im still worried as my vet agreed that it partly looks like distemper and he ruled out influenza, but I am calmer than before. I did think distemper was unlikely but with Bandits symptoms and how they have progressed it is hard to deny the possibility. Unfortunately, we don't know what really is wrong so if the Clavamox doesn't work there will have to be some biopsies done.
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Post by crazylady on Nov 6, 2013 16:52:39 GMT -5
Any news on the little one ? take care bye for now Bev
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 16:53:31 GMT -5
THe skin tests IF he has distemper won't be helpful.. If it's distemper, he'll be too far gone by the time the results come about. I'm happy that your vet doesn't think it's distemper.. How long exactly has this been going on for?
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Post by crazylady on Nov 6, 2013 16:57:31 GMT -5
Hi I have just seen your post fingers crossed it is a bacterial issue I would also bathe his eyes with a saline solution a couple of times a day ( boiled water with a little salt added ) to keep the crustiness at bay it will also ease the soreness use a clean pad of cotton wool for each eye ( you can also wipe a little around his nose too to clear off some of the crustiness there ) please keep us updated with your little one take care bye for now bev
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 17:02:04 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 19:32:51 GMT -5
Thank u all and I will keep updated here.
@ stivs- this has been going on about 4 days now. And I always appreciate any and all info and advice to include pics! As for the pics - Bandits mouth and nose look like those in your pics. His paws are crusty around the pads vs actually on the pads. The redness on his weewee isn't like that in your pics and I haven't noticed anything on his anus.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 20:00:25 GMT -5
The redness on his tummy may be different, the black speckles was at the end of this ferret's time.. If there is a rash anything like on the mouth on his boy bits as well, then i'd try to get pictures... It's easily identified with pictures. Distemper does something to the liver, which is what causes the yellowing and hardened paw pads as well as the orangy coloring to the rash that would normally be red.
If you can get pictures, it would be very helpful.. Four days isn't a significant time span.. at the shelter, for most ferrets it was -when we find the ferret with symptoms(if minor) day 1- ferret PTS-day 4-7. We had but two girls live to a week and a half before the symptoms progressed too far and they were put down.. I know this is sad, i know i'm probably scaring the life out of you but Distemper is serious and this is from first hand experience.. If there is any rash around the anus, inner ears, mouth, and privates.. that's what to watch out for. And in this orangy red coloring especially.
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