My poor sick ferret, Ike.(What to do?)

[husky_lover]

Well I took Queen of Poop's advice and took Ike to another vet about 2 hours away from where I live and he is now getting Lupron shots every month. I think it's too late though. I feel like such a bad person for letting this happen to my sweet fuzzy. Ike hasn't eaten a thing in about 2 weeks now and he has only drank what I've made him drink. He hasn't gotten out of bed at all!!! I called the vet and I have a app. in 3 weeks. I couldn't get one sooner. I don't know what to do!!!! He seems to be suffering, I can see it in his cute little face. I need help!!!!!!!! I don't want him to suffer any longer!

[Blue_Frog]

I'm sorry to hear about your ferret -- i'm guessing Adrenal Disease (from the lupron shots) -- monster (my ferret) has it too. She lost all her hair, and lost weight, wouldn't eat etc. The Lupron shots have made a world of difference - her hair grew back entirely, she has energy and is eating again.

However, if he hasn't been eating, you may need supportive care until he starts feeling himself again -- heres some information about adrenal and supportive care

http://www.ferretaid.org/resources/resources.html
http://www.ferretcentral.org/
adrenal - http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/adrenal.html

Also, heres a couple of ferret knowledgeable vets in kansas that i found on
http://www.quincyweb.net/quincy/vet.html -- maybe try calling a couple to get some advice from them (even if you can't bring him in).

Kansas
Junction City - Smokey Hill Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Ed Meyer. 913-762-3664
Lawrence - Clinton Parkway Animal Hospital. Dr. Tom Liebl. 785-841-3131 (multiple people have submitted positive comments about this vet)
Olathe - Olathe Animal Clinic. Dr. Mark Romain. 913-764-1415
Topeka - University Animal Clinic. Dr. Larry Snyder. 785-233-3185

Also, if you have an appt. in 3 weeks already with a vet, try calling and explaining the situation (that hes not eating, etc.) - maybe they can move you up?

Good luck - i hope the little guy pulls around!

[Queen of Poop]

Make him what my vet calls chicken soup. It is about all my Sebastian will eat.

1 jar of chicken broth baby food
1 can of ensure (I use vanilla, high protein)
whipping cream
ferretone

Empty jar of baby food into container. Fill jar with whip cream, shake, empty into container. Mix. Add can of ensure. Add a good squirt of ferretone. Mix well. Keep refridgerated.

Put about 4 tablespoons into a small ferret sized bowl. Warm in microwave for 8-10 seconds. Give bowl to ferret. You might have to stick his nose into the bowl at first, he will likely shrinkle up his nose at first, but if you can get him to eat this it is very, very good for him and will help him put weight on. Sebastian gets his "soup" twice a day. In each bowl I have the soup and all the meds he needs each day.

Good luck, I hope he takes the soup.

[Queen of Poop]

Any success getting him to eat???

[husky_lover]

Any success getting him to eat???

Kinda,He has only ate o couple bites or should I say licks. He still isn't drinking anything either. I took him to the vet yesterday and the vet said that I have to give the shots time to work but I'm just not sure he has much more time left. I feel so bad for him. He is getting weaker by the day!!! He has now started to lose all his hair on his head. Like you said in another thread Ferrets are not supposed to be bald! I've stopped giving him baths, Do I need to continue bathing him or was stopping the right thing to do?

[Queen of Poop]

Right now, I'd stop bathing him. His skin needs a rest and recover period. Can you get a syringe and force feed him?? I had to do that once after surgery to get him going on eating again. It is imperative that he is hydrated. Their bodies are so tiny that dehydration can set in very quickly. If he's not taking any fluids he may need to have SUB-Q fluids and your vet will need to do that.

[lv4dogs]

Did the vet even administer any fluids? He's got to be dehydrated by now. Did the vet show you how to force feed?

I don't know the whole story at what went on at the vets but if that's all that happened, "they told you to give it more time" than I would get a second opinion.

Try force feeding the soup (watered down a bit) that Gail posted with an oral syringe. If he's not eating or drinking much & is getting weak he'll probably need that done every2-4 hours.

[Queen of Poop]

I don't want to panic you, but this is an extremely urgent situation. Your ferret will quite likely die unless you get some fluids into him - RIGHT NOW.

If you have a syringe handy, or an eye dropper, take up some of the soup in the syringe/dropper, scruff your ferret (by the back of the neck, the skin is loose here). Very gently open his mouth with the syringe/dropper and ever so gently squirt the soup into his mouth. He may shake his head and cover you in the soup, be persistent, his condition sounds desperate. You need to get fluid into him!!

[lv4dogs]

I don't want to panic you, but this is an extremely urgent situation. Your ferret will quite likely die unless you get some fluids into him - RIGHT NOW.

I agree. Ferrets can downhill VERY quickly. They are great pets but can require a lot of maintence.

[Queen of Poop]

Any luck with force feeding him?

I'm praying and asking my RB ferrets to help you with Ike and that he will take the soup and regain his strength. The lupron alone will not make him better, he needs nutrition and fluids.

Ferrets are such lovely, but delicate creatures. They can take a turn for the worse very quickly.

I had one die from a stomach hemmhorage (sp?) that came out of the blue and even an autopsy couldn't figure out why. I had another die from an enlarged prostate, a complication of adrenal gland disease - he was receiving monthly lupron injections. My third one died in January of this year from cancer, his little body blew up like a balloon. We did surgery, they removed 3 cups of blood from his body and did a bunch of biopsies. Turned out his cancer made his blood vessels leak. He died 10 days after surgery. Sebastian, my last remaining ferret had adrenal surgery in Nov 2004, the tissue has grown back and he is suffering all the effects of the disease again.

Please let us know how you are making out.

[husky_lover]

I've been force feeding him all day today but I'm not sure how much he has actually eaten. I just got done trying to feed him about 5 min. ago and he didn't even fight me this time but he still didn't swallow much of the soup. He just let it run out of his mouth. While I was trying to feed him, I noticed that his neck feels really swollen. I'm taking him to a different vet in Manhatten kansas(the k-state collage) tomarrow. I almost feel like I'm making him suffer. I've been trying to feed him ever 30 min to an hour. Thank you all for your help!

[Queen of Poop]

Good luck with the vet today and thank you for trying to force feed him. If he even got a bit into him that's better than nothing. Hopefully this vet will give him some sub-q fluids and that will get him on the road to recovery. I wish you all the very best with this visit. I'm praying to my 3 RB ferrets to keep a close eye on you and Ike today and to encourage him to fight on and get better. Hugs to you.

[husky_lover]

Well We just got home from the vet. He did get some fluids today but he is still really weak. The good news is that Ike will now eat some of the soup. Thank you all for your help and prayers!!

[Queen of Poop]

YA HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Tears of joy!! I'm so glad he got fluids and will now take soup. You should notice him getting stronger in the next few days. Please keep a close eye on him as he's not out of the woods yet, but this is WONDERFUL news. Thank you for your persistence. Give us an update tomorrow if you can, he's still in my prayers.

[husky_lover]

Ike is eating more and is now drinking on his own!!!!! I'm so happy! Thank you for your help. One question, I have my ferrets down in the basement(that's where we spend most of our time) It's getting pretty cold at night and I'm not sure how to make sure they are all warm. I have lots of beds and sleep sacks in their cage. Their cage is four stories high. But poor Ike shivers alot. Is it ok to put a electric heater by their cage on low?