From:
Norbert Reininger
Date: 2010-11-01 13:40:51 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] post-surgical care -- a conversation to which others should add points that work
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
What I have done for post surgery ferrets
I have provided a shirt that I have wore and not washed to be used after surgery
in the cage at the vets office. This gives the ferret a sense of comfort as it
is a familiar smell to them. I use the ferret shelter for homing the ferrets as
I live over an hour away from the vets office. Since the shelter is in the same
area as the vets office and she has been willing to provide the pre and post
surgery care for a few days. I have even used the services of a over night vet
clinic as one ferret had pancreatic nodules removed and her spleen removed at
the same time. She required an IV drip for 24 hours after surgery, so we found
a clinic that could provide the care.
I have a pet taxi that the top opens instead of a side door. I put extra
blankets in and use that for transport home after surgery as it gives extra
cushion to the patient for the trip. Makes it easier to get them in and out of
the taxi.
I have a small cage that has no ramps that I use post surgery, I replace the
bedding with a few small blankets and have no hanging bedding in the cage. I
replace the litter box with dog training pads and use additional shredding paper
litter. It makes it easier to clean the cage.
I feed a mixture of ferret food softened in water and duk soup for a few days
after surgery and tend to feed by hand several times a day. This also allows
for making sure that food is given first before some medications as required by
label. I have also found that training ferrets to drink from bowls as well as
the hanging waterer has came in handy since it is easier for them to drink from
a bowl.
For the first week after surgery, I leave the other ferrets out for normal play
time and either before or after I let the recovering ferret out for play time
by themselves. This helps to make sure that there is less rumble and tumble
time.
Other things to have on hand:
Turkey or chicken baby food to mix in with the duk soup or softened ferret food.
Corn syrup or honey to add to water and give if needed in cases of low blood
sugar.
Hope those others.
Norbert
[Do be careful to keep the activity level low for
the first 10 days to 2 weeks, but the idea of the
post surgical ferret getting to gently wander and
sniff where the other ferrets were would be very
comforting for all of the ferrets.
We have personally had a couple of ferrets who
tried to be too active too soon after surgery,
including one who slightly injured himself that
way, so we keep opiate pain meds handy after
surgery both for pain control and to slow down
ones who might injure themselves by being too
active. Our vet provides us with a few tiny syringes
of those after surgeries.
--Moderator (SDC)]
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