From:
tpettis@uoguelph.ca
Date: 2003-08-14 19:44:07 UTC
Subject: Very mucousy poop
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <3412710.1060890247902.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Hi all,
Both of my boys have come down with diarhea in the past 48 hours. Yesterday morning I woke up and there was a normal coloured, cow-patty-shaped (b/c of softness) poop on the floor of the cage, presumably from Pippin, as when he went poop again his poop was very soft and didn't hold shape very well. I called the vet, but before she could return my call my boyfriend informed me that he had put enough treats for 2 in the cage the night before and Pippin, being a pig, probably ate them all, which gave him diarrea. Pippin's problem cleared up throughout yesterday although he was a little lethargic. Both of their poops were normal through the night, but this afternoon when Felix went potty instead of poop he produced this slimy yellow mass, it looks like something you'd cough out of your lungs when you have a chest cold. Both ferrets are otherwise unaffected, they are perky and bright and playful, if a little sleepy.
I am of course bringing both to the vet's tonight with their fecal samples for analysis, but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to what could be causing this, and if both boys could have the same thing, but with different bad poops. Also of late the boys have been smelly and their poops have been extra smelly (probably in last week I've noticed smell). They are fed 8in1 Ultimate, and get 8in1 Fruit Crunch Treats and Ferretone daily as snacks. They didn't get either from yesterday to today however. They are indoor ferrets and have not been exposed to any strange animals in the last month.
Any supportive therapy that anyone can think of would be good too, neither of them are too crazy about baby food.
Thanks, sorry for the length,
Terri, Pippin and Felix