From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2011-01-04 18:59:10 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] In fewer than 10 days I have now heard of 3 cases of poisoning
To: fhl <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>, Ferret Mailing List <ferret-l@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG>
This is heartbreaking. None of them were accidental though none of
them were meant to be poisonings, of course, and all were avoidable.
One of them had a bad ending but also a good ending because the loving
person with that ferret is trying to teach other people how to avoid
poisoning situations so she may save a number of ferrets' lives
through education.
The most recent involves Advil.
So many types of human OTC painkillers are fatal for ferrets, cats,
and dogs... Tylenol destroys the liver. Some others destroy the
kidneys or the liver or both. I remember a time on Yahoogroups when
someone wanted to use a med in that category on a ferret. I supplied
links to many articles at the ASPCA's Animal Poisoning Control Center
but others said that it must be safe because it is OTC and "just" a
pain killer. The type the person wanted to use was going to be fatal
and I could not do a thing about it...
PLEASE, realize that there are many things which are appropriate for
human use which will kill ferrets, dogs, or cats.
Use the Animal Poison Control references and never (NEVER, NEVER,
NEVER, NEVER) give or use anything on your ferret unless the treating
veterinarian okays it first. That includes your own meds, over the
counter meds, herbal meds, etc.
To prevent accidental poisonings learn what you have in your home that
can kill your ferrets.
Use these resources:
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/
or
http://www.mspca.org/programs/pet-owner-resources/animal-poison-control-hotline/
or both
Having just heard about this most recent one I am doing something very
uncharacteristic for me after 10 years of people writing to me about
heartbreaking situations. I am sitting here crying. Avoidable deaths
are the most horrible and from the description I doubt that this
ferret will survive, though I will hope to be wrong. There have been
too many avoidable poisonings recently, and I hate hearing something
when I am unlikely to be able to help, even by helping them contact
the right experts because I can't turn back time.
Addendum:
Many thanks to Pam Sessoms who helped the treating vet and the shelter that was called in to try to save this ferret with:
Ibuprofen toxicosis in dogs, cats, and ferrets
Eric Dunayer, MS, VMD
beginning on page 580
JULY 2004 Veterinary Medicine
and
Ibuprofen Ingestion in Ferrets: 43 Cases
January 1995-March 2000)
Jill A. Richardson, DVM; Rachel A. Balabuszko, CVT
JOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE VOL. 11, NO. 1 MARCH, 2001
starting on PAGE 53
Many thanks also to Troy Lynn who provided sub cu info for the shelter person who is trying to help this ferret whose owner gave him Advil.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
On change for its own sake: "You can go really fast if you just jump
off the cliff."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
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