Message Number: SG2197 | New FHL Archives Search
From: daneedv@aol.com
Date: 2002-11-11 00:19:47 UTC
Subject: Re: post-op GI surgery
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <7343661.1036973987956.JavaMail.root@scandium>

Author wrote:

> I'll give you my suggestions for post GI surgery/
> recovery. After hairball, foreign body, etc removal from
> the stomach or intestines, I'll give Tagamet for the first
> 1-2 days and Carafate for the first 1-2 days. This seems
> to help the stomach heal faster, reduce the nausea, and
> encourage the ferret to start eating sooner.

My vet also gives something to settle the stomach, and tries to get them eating as soon as possible. However, with any GI surgery, he requests that dry food be withheld for 5 to 7 days. Instead, he recommends that a soft bland food, like baby food or AD be used. He has heard of kibble pieces tearing through the internal stitches, and causing problems and sometimes death.
I just had one of my kids go through GI surgery 2 weeks ago. She is doing great now, but the second day we had problems big time with neasea. The first day she was fine, but by day 2 she was vomiting both carafate and Pepto immediately back up. I finally tried dissolving a Pepcid tab in water, and gave her a little of that. It did the trick, and she was eating again in no time.
Danee