From:
fhbythesea@aol.com
Date: 2010-06-14 11:00:36 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: ECE Recovery
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
>A feeding tube is an extreme and invasive intervention. If its a matter of life
>nd death I might consider it but only until then.
I must absolutely disagree with this statement. Like I said before, my vet has done this surgery many times and it takes about 15 minutes. Perhaps you are confusing this with feeding tube insertion (PEG) in dogs and cats.
A small incision is made on the left side of the neck to penetrate the esophagus. A very small tube is then inserted into the stomach. The incision is closed with stitches to hold the tube in place and a bandage is wrapped around the neck. The remaining tube is coiled behind the neck.
I have had this surgery performed on ferrets that were very ill and we have never had a problem with it or the ferrets recovering from the surgery. In my opinion if you have a ferret that is not able to eat on their own and are fighting hand feeding, this is the best way to provide nutrition until the other issues are resolved. In my experience, they typically begin weaning themselves off of the tube and eating on their own in a few weeks. The only downside to tube feeding is the possibility of clogging the tube.
Lisa Leidig, Head Ferret
Shelter Wench in good standing
The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
www.ferrethaven.org
[This has been a very informative discussion.
So, the tube used for this less invasive approach
must be quite narrow and flexible/collapsible if
the ferret can self-wean by beginning to eat on
its own again because there would need to be
room in the esophagus for both a bollus of food
coming down normally and the tube. Is that
correct?
This is a learning opportunity for something
with which most here are unfamiliar.
-- moderator]
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