From:
"Lynn Siegel"
Date: 2003-01-12 18:17:12 UTC
Subject: Feeding a thin ferret with kidney failure plus a eye problem, plus sub q questions
To: "Ferret Health List" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <LPBBLMGAINDPLIFEALMACECEFEAA.gypsi@atlantic.net>
I took in a ferret that found & brought her to the vet for an exam. She is
quite thin, too thin for her size, you can almost count her bones. She is
not a youngster. The people that found her thought she was blind as she ran
into things but he vet says that she has something like a brown stain over
her eyes. She said it would be if you wore glasses & painted them brown
You wouldn't be blind but you wouldn't be able to see either. She doesn't
know what it is or what caused it or if anything can be done about it. Does
anyone else know what it could be or what caused it? She said she has
seen something like it in Pugs.
I asked for blood work to be done & got the results Friday. It seems that
she has lost about 80% of her kidney function, plus she has liver problems.
I am adding Milk Thistle to her duck soup to help the liver.
The vet suggested I put her on KD dry cat food, which I have added to the
dry mix I have, to try & get her to eat it. She is getting supplemental
feedings through the day of duck soup, a mix of ground chicken, A/D &
Gerber's chicken. The thing is that I realize the protein should probably
be cut down, so what can I feed her that will put a little weight on her
instead of the duck soup that doesn't have a lot of protein in it or is it
ok to still give her the duck soup which she loves?
I am also suppose to give her 20cc's of Sub Q twice a week to help flush her
system. That isn't a problem but someone else suggested I do it more often,
if I do won't I run out of places to stick the needle without going on top
of other "sticks"? How many places are there on a ferret where you can Sub
Q? I know from neck to shoulders & a little past, but are there more?
I know she is terminal & just want to make her comfortable as I can in the
time she has left.
Thank you,
War Weasel Refuge