From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2007-01-26 16:14:26 UTC
Subject: Syringe feeding Re: [ferrethealth] Digest Number 92
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Dr. Ruth's reply is pretty much identical to what a number of other vets have said over the
years:
>
> **Sorry, but people need to be frightened enough of syringe feeding to be
> sure to learn how to do it correctly. As a vet, I have seen several cases of
> aspiration pneumonia caused by owners who did not know how to syringe feed or
> medicate properly. This is a very important issue and should not be treated
> lightly or casually.
>
> That said, syringe feeding is a very effective tool and I encourage all
> ferret owners to ask their vet to teach them how to do it safely.**
>
> Dr. Ruth
> *****************************************
> Save lives - spay or neuter your pet.
I am not a vet and we personally have not had a ferret with aspiration pneumonia but we
have had a human relative with mild dysphagia (trouble swallowing) get aspiration
pneumonia. He is someone who has been through pneumonia several times and the case
that was definitely aspiration pneumonia was one of his 2 worst and came close to being
fatal. (He may have had milder aspiration cases before his dysphagia was found and
swallowing therapy plus dysphagia food presentation and preparation techniques were
begun. BTW, I think that one dysphagia meal preparation technique could possibly be
useful for some recovering ferrets and perhaps for kits: pureeing the food and then using
binders like egg to cook them into shapes that are easy to eat, break down well in the
mouth and throat, but give some resistance while chewing.)
When ECE was in our household we had no choice but to syringe feed three older ones
who were very, very hard hit. All got through ECE and enjoyed life afterward though none
were well ever since and I am sure their lives were shortened. Usually, though, we go with
finger feeding and the "dribble in front of their faces and let them take it on their own"
approaches for sick ones. We view syringe feeding the same way we view learning how to
give sub-cutaneous fluids -- as an important tool to know how to use but not as a first
choice unless it is truly needed.
I think that in this discussion a number of ferrets who truly needed it wound up mentioned
by a number of people.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
mailto:ferrethealth-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ferrethealth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/