From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2005-07-28 17:48:25 UTC
Subject: RE: Losing to Insulinoma...
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <6182618.1122572905717.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Speaking from having nursed many ferrets over a space of 24 years a lot of times what food a sick ferret will accept is more dependent on HOW it is presented than anything else.
Foods which are new are often rejected. It makes sense to introduce foods that may be used during times of illness or recovery before a ferret is sick. New foods or forgotten ones often require the person scruffing the ferret and introducing the food to the ferret's mouth a few times.
If a food is associated with a highly unpleasant feeding situation such as syringe feeding that food may also be rejected.
Syringe feeding is potentially very dangerous. It can cause potentially fatal aspiration pneumonia so is best avoided except when there is no other choice. When it is unavoidable then it is essential to have the vet or one of the techs who the vet assigns teach you safest ways to do it.
All too often people totally forget the middle ground.
Sadly, one of Mike Janke's really great posts on techniques for feeding sick ferrets has gotten corrupted in the archives. A few old posts are like that, I'm afraid. Let me see what other ones I can find:
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG13270
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG12264
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=YG13266
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=YG12316
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=YG13260
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=YG10658
We like thing like the "Dr. Clown Spoondropper" for dripping the food IN FRONT OF THE FERRET'S FACE. That often induces eating, as can very patient finger feeding, or spoon feeding.
Warmed food has more scent so is usually better accepted.
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG11891
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG2280