From:
moreferrets@home.com
Date: 2001-04-07 07:33:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Is he dying?
i must agree with michael janke. i was thinking the very same thing
about the enlarged organ actually being the spleen instead of the
liver. regardless, it sounds like this critter needs some agressive
supportive care. echoing what mike said again, skip the water with
the baby food and feed directly. i know it's hard to force food on a
critter who doesn't feel like eating it...but without it he's in
trouble! he'll need at a minimum 3cc every four hours. the
pedialyte should be in excess of the food. digested blood in the
stool calls for meds for possible ulcers. unfortunately the mystery
is: does he have a health trouble or just ulcers? that's the
$64,000 question when a critter stops eating...but for the moment
what you must do is the same: stuff him full of food and liquids!!!
if he's having any trouble taking 3cc at a time then split up the
amount and feed more frequently. and if you can get MORE into him go
for it! you asked "is he dying?" at this point, i would imagine
he's awfully thin and weak...while he's "in danger" he might well
recover with enough supportive care. hopefully he doesn't have
a "serious" underlying cause to have stopped eating!! perhaps
there's another vet in your area who has more experience with
ferrets? in this area the emergency vets are woefully unexperienced
with any sort of ferret cage. best of luck!!