From:
williamsb@comcast.net
Date: 2002-07-05 01:37:04 UTC
Subject: RE: Ferret Swallowed a String
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <30374254.1025833024879.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Author wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
This evening, I was in the ferret room and I heard Freak (4 yrs
> of age) making a gagging sound. I picked him up and looked in his mouth
> (not an easy feat! LOL). I saw a piece of black string stuck in his
> mouth. I think it went all the way down his throat but I can't be sure.
Dear Brenda,
In such cases, I would examine the string and see if it may only be a short string that you can gently remove. If it is not, then I would see the vet first thing in the morning.
String foreign bodies can be very tricky things. If it appears anchored at all, don't try pulling it back out of the throat. Do make sure that it is not anchored in the mouth - that way if the ferret swallows, it will move along and not just rub on the esophageal lining.
Sometimes you may find a ferret or other animal with part of a string coming out the other end - this is one that you should definitely not pull. Cut the string close to the anus and let the rest of it pass.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM