From:
ferretsfirst
Date: 2002-06-30 12:30:00 UTC
Subject: Re: question about protein and question about an eye
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "keddabedda" <Kedda213@a...> wrote:
> I brought my ferret, Amber to the vet the other day. He had some
> concerns about her weight (1.2 pounds...she weighed 1.6 in
February.
... He told me to feed her extra protein.
... I regularly feed her Zupreem which has a protein level of 40%.
I was thinking the ferretone and the nutrical would add some
calories. ... it appears that a very small piece of her eye is
torn. there is a minute piece of skin that
> is still attached to her eye. I am thinking she got clawed by a
cat
.4 (four tenths) in four months is not an EXCESSIVE weight change.
I've seen ferrets gain or lose 4 ounces in two days, which IS
something to cause concern. With a 1.6 lb (one and 6 tenths
pounds), .4 (four tenths pounds) represents a 25% weight loss. This
is pretty much the borderline weight loss amount that we watch for
to begin a closer monitoring of health.
We weigh each ferret monthly as a standard routine with a digital
fish scale using a Walmart bag hanging from the hook to contain the
fuzzy. This lets us keep a general eye on weight changes that could
indicate undiagnosed health problems. A weight that is substantially
different from the previous month's weight is re-weighed the next
few days to determine if the low weight was a transient thing or if
it is truely the "new" weight. Some ferrets seem to vary in weight
monthly by a few ounces, others are very stable, varying only from
summer to winter by an ounce or two. The monthly weigh-in takes a
lot of worry out of incidental weight changes.
For a general "fattening up" food for ferrets, chicken baby food
twice daily in addition to normal food is a good way to go. We also
make plain kibble soup (regular kibble & water) which goes over very
well as a supplemental treat food.
I'm not so sure I'd be concerned with "extra" protein for a 6 year
old ferret. Excessive protein requires extra work by the kidneys,
which is not something you normally want to stress an older ferret
with. As long as the ferret is eating the regular kibble in "normal"
amounts I wouldn't worry about protein intake. An extra vitamin
supplement would be ok, but I wouldn't use a supplement that also
contains extra sugars like Ferretvite and Nutri-cal on a more than
twice weekly basis. Ferretone has vitamins without adding sugar.
(Ferretvite - in a tube, and Ferretone - in a bottle, are often
confused.)
I think, in this case, I'd more than likely go with extra soup (or
babyfood) food treats, some extra ferretone or liquid vitamin
supplement, with proteins/fats/carbs balanced fairly close to the
normal diet.
When "extra" protein IS a requirement, cooked egg yolks can be added
(hidden) to babyfood or soup.
With the eye problem, I'd recommend using neosporin in the eye (as a
first aid measure) and get back to the vet as soon as possible.