Message Number: SG12984 | New FHL Archives SearchFrom: sukiec@optonline.net
Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 22:36:13 +0000 (GMT)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: Another fuzzy losing weight
Message-ID: <7096121.1109889373538.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Weigh her and get a CBC with Chemistry Panel, but since you are in the southern U.S. and are also seeing fur loss you need to realize that you might just be seeing normal Spring changes.
It makes sense to use tests to monitor health at least once a year, anyway...
Discuss the grinding with your vet in case she needs Carafate, but if it is only for oil rather than grinding for food, too, then realize that oil does sometimes get a few of them to do things which seem kind of like people who suck or tongue their teeth to get the last little bit of a favored taste or texture. You didn't mention runs or bird seed stools so I doubt the oil amounts are not being fuly digested.
Ferrets simply do commonly lose weight and lose (and regrow) fur in Spring, then gain weight and again lose (and then regrow) fur in Autumn. That is normal. There is a marvelous article in a past "Ferrets" magazine by Dr. Jerry Murray which covers a wider topic that also involves this.
Send comments to Pam at pjdutche@email.unc.edu. Please note that this address is only useful for questions about the FHL archive. Questions about ferret health, or those intended for the FHL, should be sent to the Ferret Health List.