From:
"joclynatuo"
Date: 2009-07-01 04:03:30 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re:Seedy, Loose Poop but acts normal help
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
there are many things to check for when you have seedy poo and/or runny poo.
food first. ferret evo does seem to cause a problem for many ferrets. try the cat evo instead. although there's little difference between the two, the cat one does not seem to cause these issues with the poo.
ibd could be the problem and there are more than one type of ibd...sometimes removing chicken from the diet will help - in that case, evo dog small red bites is a good alternative for a kibble. there are also a few different meds that can be used successfully in conjunction with dietary changes. prednisolone and imuran are two. carafate (sulcrafate is the generic) is another one as that coats the stomach and makes it easier for the system to digest the food. antibiotics are also used to combat bacterial flare ups (which aggravate the underlying condition).
1 1/2 is young for ibd, although, if it's food related and is a chicken issue, then that could become evident at this young age. food modification should give indication pretty quickly.
there could just be a basic infection that just hasn't been properly identified and/or treated. ece, clostridium and coccidia are three which should be fully tested for.
there's no real test for ece - it's diagnosed by symptoms basically. since you've already done the usual treatment for that and saw no improvement, i doubt that's the problem.
coccidia can be extremely hard to identify and sometimes is not identified at all. it can take repeatedly looking at the stool, sometimes using samples daily, to find the buggers (they have to be at a certain point in their life-cycle to be evident in the stool). since you lost one already and this one has identical symptoms, coccidia seems a likely candidate (it can/does kill if not treated properly). there was something within the last year where a group (a shelter, i think) was devastated by something and it was a long time before it was identified. it turned out to be coccidia (if i'm remembering correctly, it was finally found by doing necropsy). i'm not sure, off hand, if the symptoms you have presented tie in with it, though. it's treated with albon.
clostridium is another very likely candidate. they can look at a stool sample and if rod shaped bacterium are seen, then that would most likely be a clostridium infection. it's treated with clavamox drops. took two 10-day courses for me get rid of it when mine had it.
i would have the vet look for these two infections. if neither is found, then start investigating ibd.
good luck!!
[Moderator:
ECE is hard to test for, but not impossible (though it
usually can't be done there is one option). When they
are specifically testing for it the work can be done at
Michigan State:
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
Usually, it is diagnosed by symptoms and those can go
on for months without abating. Antibiotics don't touch
coronaviruses (though they can help some complications
like secondary bacterial infections.
ECE info is in
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.htm
as is info on a number of other GI problems.
Ferrets get three genera of coccidia but some vet hospitals or
labs only look for the largest one and don't even check enough
specimens. Info in archives including:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL9021
Some complicate the job by shedding rarely
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL9032
while others are easier if a person looks in
the right ways
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YPG590
and
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL8995
There are multiple types of rod bacteria including some
normal ones so taking the "look see" one step further
with a good ferret pathologist make sense.
Necropsy info (and if sent fast enough MSU
can take full cadavers on ice so ask them for
the right shipping mode and packaging
to do that).
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG10682
and more in the easily used FHL archives
Make sure that any diet is well enough balanced for
ferret needs. For example, they need more taurine and
more protein than dogs.]
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