From:
"possum1213"
Date: 2006-12-30 11:41:52 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: weight gain
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "Sheryl" <miwok34@...> wrote:
> Does anyone have any ideas of what else I can give her to help her
> put weight back on?
I have found the simplest way to get weight on is regular hand
feeding. For those willing to eat enough on their own, I let them
eat all the soup they want while sitting in my lap. If they don't
eat enough, I move to syringe feeding. While hand feeding, I weigh
them every 2-3 days and adjust accordingly.
Either way, they need to eat a good 30-40mL per sitting, 3-4 times a
day. For a ferret that small, if you feed 30mL each time, you should
most definitely see weight gain.
I have two recipes I use for this, one for a bowl, one for a syringe.
For a bowl:
4 cans A/D
3 1/2 cups water (or Pedialyte if additional fluids are needed)
1 cup ground kibble (grind in coffee grinder)
2T Dyne (optional)
2T Ferretone (optional)
Mix in blender and freeze.
(I feed this to all of mine every other day, and also use it to feed
individually when needed)
For a syringe (also very easy on an upset tummy):
1 can A/D
1 jar meat baby food
1/2 cup water or Pedialyte
Add any supplements you want. I often add a tablespoon or two of
Carnivore Care powder. You can also add some Pet Tinic if needed.
Mix with hand mixer and refrigerate.
I have never had a ferret who didn't love both of these mixes. Yes,
the syringe one will cause softer stools, but I still see weight gain
with regular feedings.
Katharine
Florida
[Moderator's Note: some people use the term "syringe feeding" to refer to assisted feeding where the syringe is used to drop or dribble the food before the ferret making for easier eating.
With more serious syringe feeding in which food is injected into the ferret's mouth FHL member vets have long asked that members be reminded to learn the safe ways to do this by having hands-on instruction by the treating vet (or a vet tech the vet has teach you), and that it be avoided unless absolutely essential. The reason is a very logical one: with syringe feeding that goes wrong the ferret can inhale food which can cause really nasty aspiration pneumonia -- itself life threatening.]
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