From:
tg830@hotmail.com
Date: 2004-09-23 11:49:04 UTC
Subject: RE: Questions Regarding Feeding A Sick Ferret
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <969135.1095940144360.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
I suspect that he has ulcers, to what degree, I'm not sure. He does not have the black tarry stool, but he did for a little while after green slime disappeared. He's been on prednisolone for over a year, and that is known to irritate the GI lining. Granted, he's been on Carafate for quite some time as well, but whatever he did have took an immense toll on his GI tract.
He does grind his teeth regularly now, which wasn't the case prior to the illness. In the past, he started grinding his teeth when his prednisolone dosage was increased. That's why he's now on Carafate as well.
Outwardly, he's quite happy and content to go about his business. He's a free roamer. Drinks freely, so no worries there. He just won't eat on his own. Kibble or Duck Soup. And it's gotten to the point that, after 5 weeks of being syringe fed every 4 hours, he's trying to fight off both his food and his medicine. This was not the case when he was too ill to feed and hydrate himself. It now that he feels fine that he doesn't to be forced to eat.
We're now giving him Pepcid AC, o.2 mg prior to every feeding.
He's always disliked the taste of every medicine he's ever had. We couldn't get cimetidine (Tagamet HB) into him at all, and since he was in such a poor state of health at the time, the vet recommended we not stress him futher by trying to force the issue.
I have compounded both his Pepcid AC, and his PediaPred, with a small amount of Splenda (an artificial sweetner). This is working wonders.....I hope that now that he's on acid reducer, his stomach will have a greater opportunity to heal.
Thanks for the advice about the Winstrol.
Quick question.....Can anyone give me a timeframe as to when to start to see positive results from using a acid blocker/stomach coater regimen, such as Pepcid/Carafate, in the treatment of ulcers?
Thanks in advance....
Sincerely,
Tim
Author wrote:
> In answer to your question " Does anyone have ANY suggestions on how to re-stimulate their appetite?" ... my vet has given an injection of Winstrol, an anabolic steroid, to help stimulate their appetites when nothing else seemed to get them back on track - and it worked surprisingly well both times, and she tells me she was surprised at how well it usually works - the key word here is usually. A Canadian vet recommended it to her - I got the impression that they use it more than we do ...
> I am assuming you have tried adjusting the temperature (warmer) and consistency ... mine seem to like theirs thinner and warmer when they are ill. As to the length of time following a GI illness - could they have ulcers from the stress, illness and antibiotic? Could they be nauseous? And do they take it better if you hold them while feeding them? Mine like to be cuddled while I juggle a very warm bowl of duck soup for them. (I use shallow oriental dipping sauce bowls - just the right size).