Message Number: YG12551 | New FHL Archives Search
From: ozpopples
Date: 2002-04-17 19:23:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Update on sick ferret - Mac still won't eat

Mac had the following tests yesterday. X-Ray; Blood Tests - ALP,
Alt, BUN, Creatinine, Glu, WCC and Faecal Flotation. The vet advised
everything was normal which was good news. We brought Mac home
yesterday at 4 pm and I gave him the last of my soup mixture which he
devoured hungrily as he hadn't had any since 6am. The vet said not to
feed him any more soup and that when he's hungry enough he'll eat his
biscuits. It's now 11.30am Thursday and he's still refusing to eat
any cat biscuits or meat. As its now 19.5 hours since his last soup
meal yesterday, I'm going to have to give him another meal of soup.
How do I get him to eat his normal food?

The vet also said that once ferrets are fully grown (ie 6 months old)
they don't need the high protein kitten biscuits any longer, just cat
biscuits. I thought they required the kitten biscuits until they
were about 2 or 3 years old? (Ferret kibble isn't available in
Canberra, Australia, where I live).

Bronwyn

--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "ozpopples" <bronwyn@a...> wrote:
We took him to the vet and she really didn't know what it could be.
She said the loss of balance might be caused by an injury which I
don't think is the case. She suggested an x/ray in a few days if he
doesn't improve. She put him on Prednisolone (5Mg) tabs 1/4 tablet
per day and Cavulox (50Mg) tabs 1/4 tab morn & night. His temp was
38.something which she said was normal. She checked for masses and
said there didn't appear to be a blockage. She pressed all down his
spine which didn't seem to cause him any discomfort.

We're mashing softened biscuits into chicken baby food to get him to
eat. He weighs 1.2kg so has lost well over1/2 kg. He's passed 3
stools in 2 days which seem reasonably normal and is urinating. She
didn't mention dehydration or blood tests as she seems to think its
an injury but I don't.

Bronwyn