From:
Ferret Wise Shelter
Date: 2003-09-12 12:58:17 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] sick ferret
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-Id: <5.1.1.6.2.20030912085635.02e894d0@mail.usaexpress.net>
At 05:38 AM 9/12/03 +0100, you wrote:
>I have a ferret who I rescued three years ago and had a broken leg fixed.
>He has been healthy ever since until recently. For about 2 months now he
>has been chocking and gagging and try to get something from his throat.He
>then spits up some foamy substance and just lays there for a while. Before
>the medication his throat was so bad that when he gagged he would urinate
>on himself(because his throat was completly shut)A throat culture came
>back normal. His throat got much better but I think he might be getting
>worse. After about a month of this he got really sick(not eating much had
>to feed him duck soup) and I had test run. The doctors said there was not
>anything in his throat and that he was not blocked and all his blood
>values came back fine. After a two session of antibiotics he starting
>showing singns of gettin better(eating his regular food again by choice)
>but now three weeks later he is starting to gag again.
This REALLY sounds like the ferret has a hair ball or other obstruction in
the gut. When partial blockages shift they cause the ferrets to vomit-
because food cannot pass on to the digestive tract. A barium x-ray should
help define the placement of the mass which is causing the problem. Perhaps
you want to discuss this with your vet?
Alicia D
www.ferretwise.org