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Post by peacexlovexpets on Sept 14, 2019 12:59:01 GMT -5
One of my ferrets has not been feeding himself/refuses to eat for about a month now. We have been syringe feeding him to keep weight on him and just recently we have been working on switching him over to eating soup all by himself as opposed to us syringe feeding (so we could cut back to only 1-2 syringe feedings a day as opposed to the 4-5 we were doing originally to help him gain weight).
Just this morning he developed a honking cough. It is very aggressive and acts up about 1-2x an hour and he will be in a coughing spell for 1 minute or so. I am a vet student and I have been listening to his lungs (to the best of my ability, because they are really quiet in ferrets) throughout the syringe feeding period in order to better screen for pneumonia, but there is a good chance that I wouldn't have been able to hear it even if it was (as diagnostically it is screened for via radiographs in small mammals).
I gave him some vaseline about an hour ago and I haven't heard him cough since (he loved the flavor and ate it straight, which really surprised me) in case it is a hairball issue instead of a respiratory issue (as he is an obsessive groomer of the youngest male in my business).
Does anyone have experience with an aggressive honking cough/and/or ferrets with bacterial pneumonia?
Thank you!
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Sept 14, 2019 13:43:28 GMT -5
I have no experience with ferrets having respiratory problems so far.
Could it be aspiration pneumonia? Truly don't know much about this.
The forum has good results with their method of switching to soupies if you have problems. Daubing the soupy with finger and letting them lick it off. When they get use to that, then offering the soupy with a spoon and then lowering spoon in saucer. Steps may have to be repeated over again a few times until they get use to eating soupie from a saucer. Some ferrets here have been known to go right to the spoon totally rejecting the finger step---but mine liked the finger feeding.
Here is just a little you tube --it does not include finger feeding
My phoebe did not like the scruffing---probably because there was not much to scruff--or i did not do it correctly.
As far as vaseline--- was it the plain---no menthol and stuff like that? I have added a little salmon oil and sometimes egg yoke to get mine to take it or some pumpkin(this was for the blockage protocol). I have only one that will take vaseline without it being doctored somewhat.
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Post by caitmonster on Sept 14, 2019 17:23:46 GMT -5
Re: experience with loud, incessant coughing--yes, sadly. My female developed it as a result of a tumor behind her sternum; my vet said it could have been a thymoma. She was 6 years old and it was growing aggressively, and I didn't want to put her through full chemo treatment so I opted for steroids to keep her comfortable as long as she wanted to keep going. I may still have the X-ray images if you want to see them.
My other male, at 2 years old, had a loud cough that mainly manifested at night or while sleeping. He grew lethargic and less interested in playing as well. I regret it looking back now, but at first I thought it was just a hairball and would syringe water or give Vaseline. It worsened (along with his abdomen filling with liquid) and so I took him to my regular vet, who X-rayed, saw that his heart was enlarged along with other issues, and referred me to another exotic vet. The second vet anesthetized him to draw out the fluid, but his heart was too weak and he passed away while still unconscious.
Not to unduly scare you, but from what you're describing I would get him in for a full investigation.
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Post by peacexlovexpets on Sept 14, 2019 19:08:51 GMT -5
Re: experience with loud, incessant coughing--yes, sadly. My female developed it as a result of a tumor behind her sternum; my vet said it could have been a thymoma. She was 6 years old and it was growing aggressively, and I didn't want to put her through full chemo treatment so I opted for steroids to keep her comfortable as long as she wanted to keep going. I may still have the X-ray images if you want to see them. My other male, at 2 years old, had a loud cough that mainly manifested at night or while sleeping. He grew lethargic and less interested in playing as well. I regret it looking back now, but at first I thought it was just a hairball and would syringe water or give Vaseline. It worsened (along with his abdomen filling with liquid) and so I took him to my regular vet, who X-rayed, saw that his heart was enlarged along with other issues, and referred me to another exotic vet. The second vet anesthetized him to draw out the fluid, but his heart was too weak and he passed away while still unconscious. Not to unduly scare you, but from what you're describing I would get him in for a full investigation. He hasn't been eating for some time, but he also hasn't had an palpable lumps (so thinking of a lump within the thoracic cavity would make sense, as you can't feel them). His bloodwork does show that he is normal, so it shouldn't be a thryoid issue (as we specifically called for a test of thyroid levels), but there is still plenty of other tissues to act out. I don't believe it is congestive heart failure because he shows not signs of fatigue/easy to tire/weak hind limbs, which typically manifest long before either fluid in the abdomen or edema of the lungs (fluid in the tissues of the lungs, not the space of the lungs). He is just one special case after the other. For the most part, the coughing has gone way down (he has only had 2-3 short fits since I originally posted) and he is running around and dooking like nothing ever happened. I am going to schedule a vet visit for thoracic radiographs in (hopefully) the next week if he continues to cough throughout the weekend and see if we can figure anything out that way. It is quite frustrating because we have put the better part of $600 into him already to try and figure out why he isn't eating, so budgets are getting tighter and tighter for this little dude (on top of a spontaneously leaky roof in the rainy season). It feels like the moment one thing is paid for and you can start saving, something else goes wrong. |
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Post by caitmonster on Sept 15, 2019 13:58:46 GMT -5
For the most part, the coughing has gone way down (he has only had 2-3 short fits since I originally posted) and he is running around and dooking like nothing ever happened. I am going to schedule a vet visit for thoracic radiographs in (hopefully) the next week if he continues to cough throughout the weekend and see if we can figure anything out that way. It is quite frustrating because we have put the better part of $600 into him already to try and figure out why he isn't eating, so budgets are getting tighter and tighter for this little dude (on top of a spontaneously leaky roof in the rainy season). It feels like the moment one thing is paid for and you can start saving, something else goes wrong. I'm sorry to hear that--I'm sure that is frustrating.  Glad to hear he's doing well otherwise, though. Hope you're able to get things sorted out, for him and for you. |
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Post by miamiferret2 on Nov 6, 2019 21:09:48 GMT -5
How old is he? That doesn't sound good. Honking cough is usually not a good thing. Juvenile Lymphoma is first thing I thought of. Have they checked for JL?
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Post by bree313 on Nov 7, 2019 20:03:57 GMT -5
I don't know how to post a video here but one of my girls has had a honking cough since I got her. I've had many tests done including x-rays and ultrasounds of her heart, lungs and well, pretty much everything. The first vet I went to prescribed a course of antibiotics and a long course of steroids which didn't help. The amazing vet I now take her to found that she has tonsillitis, her tonsils were so swollen they were blocking over half of her airways. Since being on a course of antibiotics that target the specific bacteria she has improved so much. Might be something to check? Just trying to raise awareness of the fact that ferrets can get tonsillitis.
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Post by Heather on Nov 8, 2019 12:24:22 GMT -5
Have you had an xray or blood work done? You cannot hear pneumonia, it must be diagnosed by xray or ultra sound. That would be my first go to....after having a ferret with aspirate pneumonia I would be dealing with this ASAP. Chest tumours are often difficult to palpitate. While getting the xray you can also rule out any fluids or some of the heart issues as well. I know you've had a running series of problems with this wee one. Good luck
ciao
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