From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-12-18 17:30:10 UTC
Subject: RE: New & Help
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <7820689.1103391010540.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
If you can get the ferret to eat at least partly on his or her own that is preferable to forced feeding.
The thing about syringe feeding is that there is a risk of causing aspiration pneumonia if the ferret inhales the food. Then you are left with an incredible problem. So, forced feeding can be useful but as a last resort only.
There are things which can be done which are half-way measures. Here at home we have something called a Dr. Clown Spoon Dropper which is a dropper that has an easy to control accordion top and the dropper itself has a wide mouth. It holds a teaspoon (5 ml) which is why it has its name. We like the ones we have bought greatly for control, ease of filling (just draw up the soup), ease of cleaning, and knowing how much is being consumed. What we have found is that after the ferret has been introduced to the soup using a finger if the ferret is not well enough to eat on his or her own we can use this dropper type to drip the food in front of the ferret over a sink, bowl, or thick towel. Then the ferret is not at risk of aaspirating the food into the lungs because the ferret controls the speed and timing of eating.
That same technique can be used with a small squeeze bottle with a widened openning.
Until a syringe or a bulb dropper neither of these is anywhere near as likley to cause a sudden release of of large amounts of food into the mouth so that better control is a major win.
If all that that you can get is a syringe and you must use it then use the full hand technique for better control. Hold the syringe across the palm of your hand with the plunger on the thumb side and use your thumb for control of the plunger. It gives greatly improved control for almost everyone. Practise the technique on your own without the ferret first.
Many are surprise to find that they don't have to go to these extremes. Introduce a ferret to a new food, like a meat baby food (Try different flavors!) or a/d or a different sick time food. (There is a new one that comes in powdered form which some people with shelters have raved about but I don't recall details off-hand so check the archives in http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org .)
Just put some of the food on the lips, on the bottom of the nose (not much and not in the nostrils!), or in the mouth. Then hold the ferret on your lap upon a towel. Having some gentle or joyful musci going helps. Not flutes of pan pipes usually since too many don't seem to take to those readily, but guitar or banjo or singing which hearing ferrets often love. Keep yourself calm (Deep, slow breaths if you need them...) because the ferret WILL notice and respond. Sing to the ferret or speak gently and encouragingly. Offer food in a bowl or plate, in a spoon, or from your finger. Do NOT be surprised if you find that certain ferrets prefer specific styles of plates/bowls or spoons since they can be quite individual that way. Finger feeding usually works best but once the ferret begins eating well it doesn't go quite rapidly enough after a while.
Heating the food or adding heated water increases the odor and that often makes the ferret evenmore interested. Adding heated water is especially useful if the ferret has anything that causes dry nasal membranes (a bit of mild dehrdration, Lasix/Furosemide as a med, etc.) becuase the ferret not only can smell the food better but is also getting in fluids.