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Post by rawfedrescues on Feb 18, 2015 14:13:39 GMT -5
Hey guys, I have a couple of questions. The situation for starters: I had to move quickly, my 3 ferrets went into a foster home, they should have gotten their usual raw franken prey diet - mostly chicken (primarly for meaty bones), a little bit of pork, beef, turkey, quail, mice, pork heart and a varity of organs blended together to make organ soup. They've also been getting a mix of Marshal's Duck Soup while they've been there the last 20 days.
So my question is... they've had a (free) fecal test done, (because it was free and available, not because they needed it) and their test results showed bacteria in their poop sample. I don't know what kind of bacteria or what levels, but some bacteria is normal. They (my friend and the vet tech) want to put 2 out of 3 of my ferrets are antibiotics.
I'm thinking they're just stressed and not getting their usual balanced diet, because my friend feeds a cooked diet and I think they've been sneaking some of it - and getting into the cooked soup that's put out for her ferrets.
She says they have been having irregular loose stool and that one of them has been having smelly poop.
Should they go on antibiotics? Or is there a more gentle way of handling their guts?
Thanks for reading and any suggestions you can make.
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Post by Celene on Feb 18, 2015 21:55:36 GMT -5
Well I was waiting for someone more knowledgeable to respond seeing as I don't really have much experience in this area (I was actually waiting for a response so I could find out too). Poop has bacteria. The raw meat ferrets are eating has bacteria. Usually the meat passes through them so quickly that the bacteria doesn't have time to take hold and grow in their intestines. I personally wouldn't be worried unless their poop looks/smells abnormal, but I am a random person on the internet - not a vet. Here is a fairly recent thread by abbeytheferret6 discussing a similar topic, it might be of some help: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/17454/bacteria-again-stool
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Post by katt on Feb 18, 2015 22:50:12 GMT -5
If their poops are off they could certainly have some bacterial overgrowth, especially considering the recent change in environment. Stress can really throw things off-balance. As for fecal flora, poop has bacteria in it. My original vet, a very well trusted exotics expert in the state, once told me that ferrets have a very high, and unique bacterial load that is often misdiagnosed as bacterial infection/overload by inexperienced vets or techs. So that is always something to keep in mind. Generally if there are no symptoms, and/or if the person looking at the fecal test is inexperienced in ferrets, I'd take that with a grain of salt. That said your babies are clearly experiencing symptoms that could easily indicate some bacterial imbalances (foul odor, loose stools) so a round of antibiotics is very logical and reasonable.
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Post by rawfedrescues on Feb 19, 2015 15:15:04 GMT -5
Thank you. Yeah, I haven't seen them recently, but I'll see them tonight. I also got a hold of my vet and she says there is an adnormally high count of bacteria in their poop.
If I'm afraid that giving antibiotics will harm their digestive health more than do it good, could I treat them with heavy doses of probiotics?
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Post by katt on Feb 19, 2015 17:47:28 GMT -5
No, if they have a bacterial overgrowth they really do need the antibiotics. Give probiotics after the antibiotics and that will help reset their systems.
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Post by rawfedrescues on Feb 20, 2015 16:58:48 GMT -5
I got my ferrets back last night! And I'm sure glad to have them back with me again. I missed them!
They all seem prefectly fine. They ate mouse last night and gizzard this morning. Their poop before dinner last night were all huge, like they'd gotten food with filler - kind of looked like the poops ferrets at manager pets stores let loose. This morning their poops were smaller, more defined and less all over the place. None of it seems to smell bad to me. The only thing slightly off about it is that some of them have been a bit on the dark green side, visible only when smeared on some toilet paper.
Other than that they're all happy and normal and playful. They're running around having fun. This morning they were sneaking into my shower and getting my floor all wet.
I'll see what my vet has to say when their culture comes back and what further actions should be take.
It seems to me though that my friend may have been concerned about the raw diet, whether they were getting enough to eat, and that my ferrets are much more lean than her fluffy (rounder) ferrets. Her ferrets are big and fluffy and fun to sqish around with your hands and mine by comparsion are just a bit twiggy. I think mine have more muscle though! =)
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Post by Sherry on Feb 22, 2015 23:34:27 GMT -5
They are going to have a fairly high bacterial count normally you know it is getting TOO high when they start with foul smelling yellowish foamy stools and decreased appetites. Otherwise I'd not worry
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2015 10:19:31 GMT -5
Mine had loose stool and real bad smell. Definitely antibiotics for smelly pooh.
Had my senior on a round of antibiotics a few months ago and then my younger one.
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Post by rawfedrescues on Feb 24, 2015 15:17:48 GMT -5
Yep, I gave them chicken 2 nights ago, 2 meals in a row and he had yellowish, foamy poop. Since then he's not been wanting to eat much and hasn't been eating anything but mice out of the cage. I think he ate a small bit of whole qauil this morning in the cage, but don't know how much.
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Post by rawfedrescues on Feb 24, 2015 15:20:29 GMT -5
Is it possible for a ferret to not do well on a raw diet? Even with everything done right?
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Post by Blue on Feb 24, 2015 18:41:57 GMT -5
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Post by Celene on Feb 24, 2015 20:45:46 GMT -5
Mocha gets super nasty and/or grainy poops after eating chicken and cornish game hen. I'm going to get other bone-in meats this weekend so we see how she does without it.
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