From:
autumn_whispers2me
Date: 2005-01-10 18:19:07 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Prednisone, Insulinoma, and Adrenal Disease
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <10268916.1105395994981.JavaMail.nobody@magnesium.smartgroups.com>
Boo-Boo has had the same problem with the eating due to his ulcers. He liked and
wanted absolutely nothing. Our vet suggested scruffing him and using a syringe to
feed him. After a few days he began to 'acquire' a taste for the chicken gravy and is,
now that his ulcers are healing, beginning to eat like a little piggy. He still
associates his kibble with stomach pain, so he's still syringe and spoon fed because
he wants nothing to do with that kibble.
We also gave Boo-Boo his antibiotics after his meals, but I don't think his not
wanting to eat had anything to do with that but did have to do with the associated
pain. Once he began to associate the big syringe and the smell of the chicken gravy
he began to eat better. I made the mistake of not getting him used to the gravy
before he got sick, so he didn't like the new food, had stomach pain when eating,
AND we gave him disgusting medicine, all that added up to mealtime being a real
bummer for him. But again, over time he learned to like the taste of the gravy and
now gobbles it from the syringe or spoon.
Force-feeding by scruffing may be in order, but be sure to talk to your vet to see
what she/he wants you to do since he/she needs to know your baby's not wanting
to eat. At least with Boo-Boo we knew why, and I think that's important. If your
fuzz just doesn't like the food then you may have to force feed. But again, check
with your vet about ideas and possible reasons for the lack of appetite. And who
knows, maybe it is the association to the medicine, though in Boo-Boo's case that
wasn't it.