From:
Vicki Montgomery
Date: 2008-06-12 12:53:00 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: NOT - Solely a food question
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I have had luck with using Tylan antibiotics to clear up diarreah. Tastes as bad as or worse than Flagyl.
I know you said that he doesn't eat duck soup. To me that is like saying, "my kids don't eat vegetables" - excuse me - who's in charge of nutrition mom...
so if you can do it- get him onto a meat soup .You need to really try...;he needs to eat, to eat regularly, and with insulinoma you need to strickly control his BG.
If he were mine I would take him off of all kibble... Put him on CKN or Turkey or Veal baby food (2nd stage). and see what happens. Watch the BG when you switch him from kibble to meat only - really watch closely - watch him
Better yet, get a meter, take it to the vet, and have the vet draw blood, prick him, whatever s/he does to get a blood sample and compare a reading from your meter to a reading from his/her meter so you'll know if yours reads high or low or whatever. Also while s/he's checking the BG have the vet show you how to do it yourself every day or plan to visit the vet everyday to have it checked, at least in the first few weeks.
Get him on meat baby food or make your own - boil ckn, and gizzards, liver, heart etc in lightly salted water and when fully, fully cooked pull meat from bone and put the meat into a food processor or blender WITH broth and fat from cooking. Puree to a milk shake consistency - Burger King (easy to drink through a straw)not What-a-burger (too thick) so add broth and fat gradually.
This step really is important - Hold him in your arms and then dip your clean finger into the soup - make sure there is NO FRAGRANCE on your hand, not even from soap. If he will not lick from your finger, which he probably will not do on the first try or two or ten,put it (a drop or two of the soup) into his mouth anyway you can without hurting him physically... don't worry about hurting his feelings... scruff if necessary the first few times. Keep finger feeding him until he starts licking on his own from your finger. You can next try to get him to lick from a spoon or directly from the cup/bowl. And yes that is a Make him eat it...
The sugar that is created by digestion of the kibble could be at least part of his problem. If the diarreah clears up you need to stop all kibble and feed him a natural diet - cooked or raw is up to you and him - it must be complete animal, not just muscle meat, but you can start with muscle meat and easily obtained internal organs (gizzard, heart, liver, etc) to start him on the soup. You can add forti-flora or probiotics to his soup after you get him used to it. I also add a bit of liquid, chelated iron, nutri-cal, or other vitamin/mineral as needed.
Do not be swayed by this opinion or that opinion on food - you are trying to find the right one for him now. What others have found for their ferrets is good for their ferrets and what you find is goodfor him is good for him.
Hope that helps.
Vicki Montgomery Tricks and Treats Rescue Greater Houston/Galveston Texas 713-472-6599 ferretfrenzy@yahoo.com tricksandtreatsrescue@yahoo.com
"Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace." ~ Dr. Albert Schweitzer
--- On Thu, 6/12/08, Sheryl <crowbeads@att.net wrote:
From: Sheryl crowbeads@att.net
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
He did have a round of Metronidazole but that didn't help at all.
The only thing that makes any difference is when I put him back on
Marshall's. If I even add a little bit of Totally Ferret or Pro Plan
kitten to his food he starts having diarrhea again.
He does have insulinoma.
Because I've never given a ferret pumpkin, how does everyone else
give it to their ferrets. He does not eat any duck soup at all and I
really doubt he'd like the texture if I were to just give it to him
straight. He's a stubborn one!
Sheryl
It seems that if antibiotics are cauing the diarreah to clear up
then it comes back when the ferret is not taking the antibiotics that
you have a chronic infection...
[Vicki, your travel computer is still inserting things
>
3 times
<
once
26 times
so this won't look perfect because I have very little time to edit cleanly today
but it should be easier to read than it was with them in there]
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