From:
"Danee DeVore"
Date: 2009-12-25 06:05:09 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Renal Failure
To: <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
"Sam" <mailto:samwitch54@yahoo.com?Subject=%20Re%3ARenal%20Failure> samwitch54@yahoo.com <http://profiles.yahoo.com/samwitch54> samwitch54 Wrote:
Any luck treating renal failure at home? We just exhausted our savings hospitalizing one of our other ones 2 months ago and can't afford it again this soon. We're on our own. Besides, euthanization, any ideas are greatly appreciated.
Depending on how advanced the renal failure is, some ferrets can live quite a while before reaching a point where euthanasia is needed. Changing the diet to include lower protein foods that contain a high quality source of animals protein can help. Eggs are a good source of high quality and easy to digest protein. However, because you will need to lower the overall protein level, you need to look for a commercial food that if formulated to help with kidney failure. Your vet can likely recommend a good food to use. However, here is a link to a website with information on commercial diets for cats with kidney failure. Many of these same foods can be used with ferrets. This site also discusses some of the differing views on just what is needed in a diet to help slow kidney failure, and has links to several articles. The articles are good, and I would suggest reading at least some of them.
http://www.felinecrf.com/managd.htm
There are also things like Epakitin. Epakitin is a powder that can be fed in a soup or sprinkled over the food. It helps to clear the body of toxins without putting strain on the kidneys. Azodyl is another product that can be used along with Epakitin to treat and slow the effects of renal failure. Both these products are carried by many vets, but they can also be purchased online. Azodyl comes in a large capsule (too big for a ferret) and while the information says that the capsule should not be opened, I do know several vets who have used Azodyl with ferrets by opening the capsule and just using part of the medicine at a time. I have not used Azodyl with ferrets, but I did use it with one of my cats who was in early stage renal failure, and I feel it did help extend her life and improve her quality of life during that time. I have used Epakitin with my ferrets, and again, I think it helped.
Here is a link to the manufacturer's website with information on the 2 drugs. You can do a search on either name, and find places where you can buy them online, if your vet does not carry them.
http://www.vetoquinolusa.com/pages/pro_renal.html
A small container of Epakitin will cost under $20.00 and will last a long time.
Danee DeVore
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