Message Number: YG13619 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Lynn Siegel
Date: 2002-06-07 07:18:00 UTC
Subject: Very stinky, loose, projectile poops/now paranoid about
meds

I am asking for help in getting info for this ferret. I simply don't have
the time to search archives anywhere, so I am sorry to do this instead of
searching, but it is necessary.

Male ferret, approx 5 or 6 yrs old. Still has scent glands. He has
Insulinoma. Had adrenal surgery last year, towards end. All of left gland
removed, 2/3rds of right. The right gland was gray so it was assumed it was
bad. THe hair on his tummy still hasn;t come in very much & his tail is
still bare. He hasn't seemed to feel better. Prior to surgery he had loose
stinky poops & was on pepto, along with pred. He had a few fecals done &
all were negative. He started to loose weight & the bowel movements were
worse, he was going all over in the cage, like he couldn't get to the litter
box.

Was again taken to the vet. This time the fecal showed he had hookworm (
out of all of the ferrets here, he has gone outside the least since I know
he doesn't like it) & he was treated for it. This was just a little over 2
weeks ago. (everyone was treated) The only change in his bowel movements was
the color, it has gone from dark to normal color. He went back to vet,
because he is just skin & bones & his appetite has fallen off & because of
the condition of his bowel movements. Another fecal was done & it showed
negative, the hookworm is gone.

He was put on Flagyl. And also put on W/D cat food to add bulk to his diet.
He was given a dose at the vets. Later that day it was time for his second
one, given here. He did react but it wasn't too bad, at least considering
how he is now. His poops almost went back to normal, & he was able to get
to the litter box. The next day when it was time for his medicine, as soon
as the syringe touched his lips the fight was on. I got some into him, but
he was frantically pawing at his mouth & making awful retching sounds, that
went on for a long time. Even after I got him to eat something, he was
still pawing at his mouth, & I don't mean just a little, & making the awful
retching sounds, like they were coming from very deep inside him.

For the second dose I tried mixing it with Ferretone & whipping cream, but
even before I picked up the syringe he was pawing at his mouth & making the
retching sounds. I let it go for awhile. Later I tried to give him his
pred but the same thing happened & I could hardly get the pred in, most came
back out. Later I tried shooting his meds as far back in his mouth as I
could but he was fighting & retching & pawing so hard it was impossible.
Now I cannot get him to take anything. Now when I pick him up to take him
to feed him he starts pawing at his mouth & retching. He is getting even
less of his duck soup & none of his pred. And naturally his bowel are not
better. So whatever food he gets is coming back out & not helping that
much. It is starting to look like the only thing left is to put him to
sleep & I know he isn't ready yet.

The vet says that there isn't any other kind of medicine but the Flagyl to
give him, even though she doesn't know the cause of the problem. What I
need to know is, is there any other kind of medicine that will help even if
it is just a little bit? Has anyone else gone through this with the very
stinky, loose, projectile poop & found out what was causing it? Is there
any kind of medicine that could be injected instead of given by mouth. At
this point I can't even get his pred into him & he has been having a low BG
reading. I know I should have that info ready to give but don't & I want to
get this out. I just can't keep trying to get the Flagyl into him, he is
stressing over it more than any other ferret I have seen & the awful sounds
he makes............

And please post to this list. It is much easier & faster to scan through
a digest than individual mail.

Lynn & Clan War Weasels