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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2015 11:57:00 GMT -5
Hi, sorry for the long response time. His poops were back to being green this morning with no solid form to it. He had at least 3 like that so I took him to the vet, between the poops and his sad little face I was just too worried. He's definitely dehydrated and the vet agreed with me, you can just take one look at him and tell he feels crappy. I couldn't get him to eat this morning but I was able to get him to drink. The vet didn't seem to think it was ECE either and was thinking it might be a reaction to the chicken like you mentioned poncesmom. He had diarrhea during the visit and it was bad, completely liquid, bright green and a very strong odor so she is gonna run a test on that as well as doing some blood work. Abbeytheferret6 he has been on kibble for a much longer time so I was wondering if this was a detox thing. It hasn't slowed down any though so I just went ahead and took him in. We usually feed him in the morning and a few hours go by before we offer him any kibble. We were only still giving kibble because he hasn't really taken to the switch like Bruce and I was worried he wasn't getting enough food. I'm not sure if thats long enough and maybe it upset his system? A very strong smell might indicate a bacterial overgrowth. A course of antibiotics can help with that. A bacterial overgrowth can occur for several reasons. It is thought but not proven that feeding kibble at the same time as raw may be a cause. They digest at different rates and that upsets his tummy and bacteria grows.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2015 12:56:44 GMT -5
I still haven't spoken with the vet but my boyfriend called to see if they thought that might be it or to see if they thought it might be an allergy to the chicken. The tech he spoke with said that the fecal lab came back positive for coccidia, a parasite. Still litter training my new one so best I can figure is maybe he accidentally ingested some of his poop before I cleaned it up somewhere? I don't know, on his own free will I've never seen him eat anything other than his kibble so I can't see him eating it on purpose. When she calls me I will ask what she thinks and see if I need to bring the other one in even though he seems to be fine. I feel terrible I'm going to be hyper vigilant now about making sure all poops are cleaned up.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2015 12:57:57 GMT -5
Once he gets healed up all the way, moving forward should I just take the kibble out entirely? I had only still given it to him because he's a little on the skinny side and I'm worried about his weight. He isn't loving raw just yet but I'll sit there with him as long as it takes to make sure he's eating enough.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2015 16:25:08 GMT -5
I'm glad you have an answer. Are they going to prescribe a medicine for him? Don't beat yourself up over this. A good ferrent like yourself does the best you can and just like with children, the little ones still get sick sometimes. Coccidia is not uncommon for young ferrets. There are several strains. See if you can find out which one it is. Here is a link to learn more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/3058/coccidiaIf you have the time, I'd do the soupie now and hand feed him. Soupie tastes so good when you are sick and the soupie recipe is nicely balanced and will give him good nutrition to help him get better quicker. You can leave a plate of soupie out for him overnight and hand feed him during the day. Since he is young, I'd offer soupie at least 4 times a day and try to get enough in him for a growing boy. Give Bruce a big hug and tell him that Mommy will make everything all better.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2015 16:48:12 GMT -5
Missed the diagnosis part. Must have read too fast, but so glad they found it.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2015 17:49:23 GMT -5
Wade is staying there overnight, vet called just before they closed and let me know he has perked up a lot after being on fluids for a few hours. She says he will be ready to come home tomorrow and he will be taking an antibiotic. I'll get all the details about that at pick up tomorrow. Bruce will be coming with me tomorrow since he is either the carrier or has been exposed already and the vet wants to check one of his poops and will probably put him on a round of antibiotics as well. They will be separated until they finish the antibiotics and I'm going to have to dilute some bleach and clean everything really really well tonight, move Bruce to another area and let everything have plenty of time to dry. I have plenty of soup made up so that shouldn't be a problem. Thanks again for all the advice and being there so I have someone to talk to everyone
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2015 20:40:54 GMT -5
Sounds like you got a good vet
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2015 0:19:29 GMT -5
Take care.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2015 22:09:10 GMT -5
Dana,how is your little ones doing so far?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2015 20:46:19 GMT -5
He is much better! Thank you for asking! I brought them both home yesterday. He looks so much better--bright eyed, eating, and playing! He tested negative right before I picked him up so he's done with the antibiotics. The vet sent home a probiotic and said to use it for three weeks. Wade is definitely on the skinny side now, any tips on getting some weight back on him?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 18:07:34 GMT -5
Will he eat duck? I have duck met ground with bone and it is fattening. So glad he is doing better.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 18:22:42 GMT -5
He is much better! Thank you for asking! I brought them both home yesterday. He looks so much better--bright eyed, eating, and playing! He tested negative right before I picked him up so he's done with the antibiotics. The vet sent home a probiotic and said to use it for three weeks. Wade is definitely on the skinny side now, any tips on getting some weight back on him? Can you post some dangling pictures of Wade? Also one from the top of him. He may be carrying summer weight and he has not been well. You should be able to feel his ribs but not see them and he should not be thin enough to have a waistline. Some ferret body types are whippets and naturally thin. Pictures will help tell us more.
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Post by Sherry on Oct 7, 2015 18:25:18 GMT -5
Just a normal, balanced raw diet will get any weight on him he needs
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 20:11:47 GMT -5
I've been struggling with getting him on raw. Bruce, my younger ferret has taken to it right away and he actually weighs more than Wade does now, He's eating slivers and is a fat happy boy. I am patiently waiting for this day with Wade, he just doesn't seem to willingly view it as food as of yet. I have been using the stuff and scruff method for a while now with Wade. Amanda, my mentor, has been really supportive and encouraging. He spit out any raw I put in his mouth for the first two weeks. He now will eat what is put in his mouth but he won't eat it out of a bowl, spoon, or even my hand yet. He is a year a half roughly. I'm happy he's no longer spitting it out at least. The vet also sent him home with a probiotic and carnivore care. She did warn me that it could take a while for him to bounce back. Marcia I will look for duck at the market this weekend! So far I've just been using the soup recipe on here with Wade so its been chicken so far. When I first brought him home he was so stressed skinny I just didn't want to stress him anymore. I talked with Amanda and we decided to give him a short break to give him some stress free time to rest and heal. He still gets the kibble at night, hours after we've fed raw because I know that might cause upset tummy, just simply for the fact that I'm worried he isn't getting enough to eat. He's still not completely himself. He definitely is more lively and I see him playing with Bruce again but I can tell he's not quite feeling like normal yet. Wade weighs 950g, Bruce weighs 995g (Bruce is around 4 months old) Here are pics, Wade is my white one. I just posted pics of Bruce because I had them haha
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 20:15:53 GMT -5
p.s. that first pic his arm looks like that from where the vet shaved him to put the iv in
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