From:
gecarlisle@sbcglobal.net
Date: 2004-09-14 21:37:24 UTC
Subject: Re: Question on Treatment for Possible Ferret Mange
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <322549.1095197844666.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Before you resort to drugs, check your ferret=92s food: It sounds like he =
has a severe allergy to something in his diet. I know from experience that =
beef can cause severe itching in ferrets, and wheat and corn are other comm=
on culprits. =
If his skin scrapes have come up negative, he most likely doesn=92t have m=
ange. (It=92s not that hard to see under the microscope.) Try changing his =
diet to one that doesn=92t contain beef, wheat, or corn and see how he is i=
n about two days. It takes a little time for the allergens to clear out of =
his system, so he should feel a little better the first full day after the =
change, and continue to improve noticeably until he just scratches normally=
for a ferret. =
If you don=92t know what food to try that fits the above parameters, I wou=
ld suggest 8 in 1=92s Ultimate, or the Ferret Store=92s Superior Choice Nat=
ural. Don=92t try substituting other foods for the above without reading th=
e ingredients list thoroughly. Both companies make other products that cont=
ain the above allergens. (Be careful, some products appear to be fine at fi=
rst glance but contain beef fat, mixed animal fat, or beef liver.)
If I give my boys a beef treat, inside of 20 minutes I can see the reactio=
n begin as they stop to itch instead of play. Once your baby is feeling bet=
ter, you can experiment to isolate the exact allergen. (Personally, I won=92=
t feed a ferret any food that contains corn, as it=92s indigestible and can=
lead to ulcers, and wheat is unnecessary; that just leaves beef for extra =
iron.)
Good luck, and keep us updated.
Don=92t hesitate to e-mail me directly if you need me to clarify any of th=
e above.
GEC @};~ and the Three Musteteers (Athos {Mischief}, Porthos {Kaos} and Ar=
amis {Trouble})
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