From:
sukiec@optonline.com
Date: 2003-01-16 22:24:19 UTC
Subject: RE: I have a question
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <22143477.1042755859854.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Ferrets don't get human rhinoviruses (colds) as per ferret expert veterinary pathologist Dr. Bruce Williams but they do get influenza and soem sinus infections, either of which canbe confused with a cold when a human has a mild one.
If you think that a ferret is dehydrated but not to the point of needing IV then subcutaneous fluids make sense. Your vet can teach you how to give those at home, too. Electrolyte solutions can also be useful in such situations.
In this case, as a non-vet with a couple of decades of ferret experience --unless it gets severe -- rather than stop the diarrhea I think that I would be personally inclined to instead let the ferrets have the runs to let them more rapidly pass whatever may be causing an infection while being sure to get a lot of fluids into them.