Message Number: YG11646 | New FHL Archives Search
From: ozpopples
Date: 2002-03-04 01:04:00 UTC
Subject: Lethargic with diahorea - help

A woman brought in a young female ferret to the petshop where my
daughter works. She said she had found it 3 days earlier and had
been feeding it on meat. My daughter brought her home as we have 5
other ferrets. We have advertised for the owner but no luck so far.
She had bad diahorea and seemed very lethargic. We have been feeding
her on a combination of Iams, science diet and cat and kitten (not
eating very much) which are the kitten biscuits recommended for
ferrets in Australia.

Her diahorea has improved a bit however she passes in frequent
motions. She sleeps much more than our other ferrets and falls
asleep in our arms which none of our other ferrets have ever done
unless very young babies. Today she ate 2 teaspoons of heinz baby
chicken and vegetables, she is drinking ok.

She seems to want to play when inside but did investigate the room.
When I put her in with our 6-week-old baby to see what the reaction
would be, she was totally uninterested and seemed quite scared. She
has not attempted to bite or nip at all which is probably more
related to her being ill, than being friendly. In Canberra,
Australia where we live there are no ferret aware vets so I would be
wasting my time taking her to one.

Can anyone please help – what should we be doing?

Bronwyn