|
Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2016 16:21:53 GMT -5
Back from the vet! Max was given Enrofloxacin 22.7 mg/mL at 0.3mL for 10 days and if he hasn't improved by Monday I need to take him back in. They also prescribed Pepto Bismol 17.5 mg/mL at 0.25mL twice daily for diarrhea. Should I go pick up some Pepto or just give him the pumpkin for the diarrhea? They also said to get some carnivore care because he hasn't been eating very much but I'll have to order it online and it won't come in for a few days. I have three jars of meat baby food though.
His activity levels are low and he has to poop at least twice every hour. Poor guy. Should I be worried about prolapses or other anal injuries with him going to the bathroom this much?
I also realized I put the wrong weight for him on the weekly update because I'm a dummy and put Mei's weight twice. I'm going to edit it now (he weighs an almost even 2Ibs).
Thankfully Mei seems fine. They said whatever Max has shouldn't be contagious since Mei doesn't have it yet but I'm still worried. I'm considering separating them but it stresses Max out a lot to be alone and he's already sick so I'm not sure.
I'm also wondering if I should hold off on Max's transition until he gets a little better? I can keep going with Mei no problem and she isn't my problem child but I was going to start trying to schedule their meals as you suggested (probably leaving them a breakfast in the morning) but I don't know if I should leave the meat and kibble in together so Max can eat but with Mei possibly eating both or not eating the meat at all since the kibble is in there.
Ferrenting is hard haha.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2016 20:42:22 GMT -5
Ferrenting can be quite hard sometimes but you're doing fantastic. I'm happy you took Max to the vet and it sounds great that he was put on a broad spectrum antibiotic. Fingers crossed that what ever is giving him issues clears up after this treatment. As for the Pepto-Bismol (Bismuth Subsalicylate), seems to be a debatable topic- Some will not recommend it for use in animals since it is aspirin based (may cause ulcers), whereas others may recommend it in small dosages providing there is no bleeding. It would probably be a wiser idea to try the pumpkin instead, only if Max is still experiencing the diarrhea. If his stools have improved then there may be no need for the treatment for diarrhea. Carnivore care is completely fine. It's temporary and a part of his treatment. Once he's finished his antibiotics and has the okay from the Vet then we can continue with his transition. At this stage, it would be in his best interest to temporarily halt his transition just until he's done with treatment and is feeling better. Rectal prolapses, a majority of the time, can happen if the ferret strains while passing stool. They also happen for other reasons such as parasites, disorders of the digestive system and so on. For now you should just keep a close I on Max and hopefully if the issue is bacteria overload in the gut, then the anitbiotics kick in and give him some relief while hopefully minimising the risk of a prolapse at the same time. I doubt that what Max has is contagious. If it was, Mei would also be in a similar state as Max and seperating them could potentially restrict the recovery time because Max would be stressing out. Since Max will be going on Carnivore care soon while he's undergoing treatment, It may be best to seperate them but only for meal times. (That way it shouldn't cause him too much stress of not seeing his friend.) Do you have a double ferret cage? You may be able to close it off so one is up top and one is down bottom during the carnivore care and soup meal times. After they eat, then you can open it up again and remove each of their meals if they didn't eat it all. Or you can feed them in different rooms before or after a long playtime, such as one in the bathroom and one in another room or cage. I hope Max feels better soon!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2016 10:38:16 GMT -5
Sorry for the late reply!
Max is doing much better. He still has diarrhea but his butt is back to normal and the smell is better. He's back to eating me out of house and home again, thankfully, and has been playing like a wild thing now that he's feeling better.
So we're having a new problem with Mei I can't really figure out how to handle. She got covered in soot in the fireplace when we weren't looking and after I gave her a bath she raged like she usually does, except this time she got in the cage and started rolling around in the litter box. It was clean so I kind of hoped she was just doing it because she was wet but now she won't STOP playing in the litter boxes, soiled or not. Since Max is having bacterial problems I don't particularly want Mei scratching/snorkeling/rolling in their collective waste (I wouldn't want that under any circumstances but especially not these). I also noticed she's been coughing a lot, probably from the soot. I'm waiting to see if her cough goes away today because if it doesn't I'm going to be worried. I don't know how easily ferrets get lung problems. I could go back to the wheat pellet litter I used before? It doesn't have the dirt consistency that the walnut litter does.
So on a lighter note I'm trying to get Mei on meat only dinners and so far it looks promising. I'm not really sure how I'm going to feed her only meat and still have kibble for Max...will she eat kibble after eating her meal? She never eats much and I'm always uncertain of if she is going to eat after I've fed her or not, but I don't want to keep them isolated for too long either.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2016 17:26:48 GMT -5
Fantastic news for max! I'm happy he's feeling better. I hope his diarrhea clears up soon- go a head and try with the pumpkin and see how he goes with that. It's still a great sign he's back to being a typical kit and has his energy back and is eating well. Oh Meeeei!! Silly girl!! Ferrets are so intelligent, They can figure things out so fast, it's crazy. Gotta keep trying to outsmart the ferret otherwise they outsmart the hooman. Kits will keep you on your toes. It sounds to me as though she was doing that in an attempt to clean herself- but she's also young and always seeking getting into trouble. Keep an eye on her and if the cough persists or you feel really concerned, then follow your gut and have a vet check her out. I'm not very knowledgable about walnut litter- if it has a strong smell or odour to it, that could also be a potential irritant. (Was she coughing prior to the soot incident? if so, then it would point to the litter) I personally use a newspaper pellet litter and found it worked best for odout control, lasted a long time and there was no smells or odours to the litter itself.I will look into the walnut litter later when I get home (I'm in class right now haha!) The only way to avoid Mei from eating the kibble would be to keep Mei and Max seperate. Because even if you take the kibble away but put it back for Max, she will probably try snacking on it again. For the time being you can keep doing how you are doing for now and try feeding kibble at a certain time- then once Max is better, you can try removing the kibble for both of them.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2016 19:53:09 GMT -5
1. Ferret's name: Mei 2. Ferret's weight: 1.6Ibs 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal: Around 3 tablespoons still 4. Stools on various proteins: Stools are slightly mucousy in general at the moment 5. Activity levels: Normal - Medium 6. Weekly menu: Chicken soup for most meals with a beef meal every couple of days
1. Ferret's name: Max 2. Ferret's weight: 2.0Ibs 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal: On hiatus for medical reasons 4. Stools on various proteins: Having diarrhea still 5. Activity levels: Normal - High 6. Weekly menu: TBA
Is there a good trick to getting Max to take the medicine? He's taking an oral liquid and the last two days when I give it to him he slings it all over the place (and on my face so I know it's not the best tasting thing in the world) and gagging/choking/inhaling what is left in his mouth. He was doing so good! I don't know how to get him to stop that. I try gently opening his mouth a little to put the dropper in and if that doesn't work scruffing but he's not swallowing it anymore. I may call the vet in the morning and see if I can mix in something if I can.
Mei seems to be losing weight, is that normal? It's only .1 Ibs but she doesn't weigh much to begin with. I'm probably worried about nothing >_>
I forgot to mention what brand of litter last time! It's Blue Buffalo Natures Fresh Walnut Based Litter Multi-Cat. The pellet litter is Animal Health Oxbow Eco-Straw Pelleted Wheat Straw Litter. She was coughing a little before the soot but I also have their cage under a fan where it is right now and it's kind of dusty in here. After the soot she would do that wheezy-cough thing but I haven't heard her do it today.
Thank you again for all the help, this past week has been pure chaos.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2016 3:11:58 GMT -5
I'm so sorry for being really delayed in replying. I was writing a reply in class yesterday but forgot to hit send (silly me.) You could try tucking his back end under your arm and with your other free arm/hand give the medication into the side of his mouth (near the cheek/gum area) There's never anything pleasant about giving oral medications, so the faster it's over with the better for everyone. I hope he does feel better soon. Losing weight can happen seasonally (around the time they shed)- during winter they gain weight and longer/thicker coats, during summer they drop that all for a slimmer figure and a shorter/slicker coat. During a transition, they may gain and lose some weight. During my guy's transition, Yuuki and Haru were 6 months and 8 months and I noticed a dramatic weight change as they grew into adults. (Probably also due to the season) I think they both lost around 300 grams each, looked like a lot to me, but they were acting normal, eating fine, energy levels fine which lead me to conclude it was seasonal and for me it was nothing to be concerned about. I've now experienced two sheds and the second shed was not as dramatic as when they were younger. When you begin to monitor the weight, you may notice that the weight might fluctuate around a certain zone. (This is what I'm leaning towards.) How large that zone is depends on the ferret. Usually this flunctiation happens over a few weeks. On the 4th you mentioned Mei was 1.7Ibs and on the 12th she is 1.6lb. (dates may be different, I'm usually a day a head of everyone haha!) Anyway, that was well over a week. It could very well be a flunctuation. We'll continue to monitor her weight, for now it doesn't seem concerning. The thing to look out for is how fast they lose weight is If it happens very dramatically and comes along with other signs or symptoms, then that would be a little concerning. (for example, they lose weight, stop eating/drinking, look lethargic etc.) In any other case, you may need to take into account the age, season, diet, even their weight range, that too can help give a better understanding about what is normal and not normal for a ferret as an individual. During a transition, ferrets do tend to gain/lose some weight. They lose mostly the fat they get from the kibble (as well as the baby fat) then slim down, become nice and muscular. Another thing, If you weigh after a meal, they will likely to have food or water weight going on, then if you were to weigh during a time where they have a slightly empty stomach like before a meal or after they go to the loo they may have suddenly lost that water or food weight as well. You mentioned that the cage is near a fan and dusty area, this could potentially be a contributor to the wheezy-sounding cough, rather than the types of litter you use. (Though if the litter is dusty, that may another contributor) The fan could be blowing dust that could be becoming an irritant. If you have any windows, it may be good to open those up and let some air come in and take the dust out. I hope everything is going well for you guys. Big hugs for Mei and Max!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2016 20:55:03 GMT -5
Holding Max that way made it way easier. I think he got more of the medicine in himself than on me for once, haha.
I found some paper pellet litter from National Geographic the other day that was less expensive than the other litter so here's hoping this one works better. This one isn't dusty like the other two and it's starting to get cold enough for us to leave the fan off finally so hopefully the sniffles stop. I think will be getting back to normal soon, he's looking much better. Hoping I can get him back on the transition train cause weening Mei off of kibble with him like this is challenging.
The furrbutts thank you for all the help and concern!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2016 1:56:12 GMT -5
How is everyone doing? ~ I was planning on giving you another lesson soon, but I might do that once we have Max back on board.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2016 12:44:15 GMT -5
Everyone is doing good, I think Max is well enough to start his switch again soon. He has a couple days left of antibiotic and he's starting to act more normal and his diarrhea is subsiding. Should I wait until monday or go ahead and get him started?
We actually ran out of medicine too early and had to go get more. This one is a different flavor (apparently the first one was chicken and this one is vanilla) and he doesn't gag on it as bad.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2016 21:13:38 GMT -5
Yep, waiting until Monday would be a good option. This would also give him enough time to finish up on his antibiotics and to see how his stools are in the meantime. Little Max must have felt awful... I'm so happy to hear that the diarrhea is subsiding.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2016 22:19:57 GMT -5
Max is off of his antibiotic now and I guess his body is going through a regulation period because he's back to having watery and smelly diarrhea again. I swear every time I think he's about to go back to normal he backs up two steps...I'm not really sure what to do with him. So I was wondering how to know if organs are expired? I thawed some chicken hearts to make soup and the smell was awful but I thought they smelled when I got them as well. I also apologize for my posts being short and delayed so much. I'm hoping to get back to a regular schedule soon. I bet the furrbutts will appreciate having their schedule back too. 1. Ferret's name: Mei 2. Ferret's weight: 1.8Ibs 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal: Around 3 tablespoons still 4. Stools on various proteins: Stools are small and pebbly 5. Activity levels: Normal - Medium 6. Weekly menu: Beef soup for most meals with a chicken meal every couple of days 1. Ferret's name: Max 2. Ferret's weight: 2.25Ibs 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal: Back on track? Still tryning to get him to eat. 4. Stools on various proteins: Having diarrhea still 5. Activity levels: Normal - High 6. Weekly menu: Same as Mei Max is getting huge! I was afraid he was going to drop weight with his tummy being messed up but he just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Mei feels so small and dainty in comparison.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2016 6:18:29 GMT -5
No worries.
Has Max seen the Vet after his antibiotics round?
Max was being treated with Enrofloxacin for the past week or so- you saw some improvement but upon finishing up the treatment the stools returned to a watery diarrhea. Is this a stool consistency fluctuated or has every stool since finishing antibiotics been watery diarrhea?
During the treatment, did you use either "Pepto Bismol" or the "1 tsp Pumpkin for 2 days along with diet" to see if there was any change in stool consistency? If yes, was there improvement? Did you feed carnivore care or was he on another kibble or FDR? If yes, Did the stool consistency change on carnivore care?
The reason why I'm asking this is because I'm suspecting a potential diet related sensitivity since all food options Max has had so far has contained Chicken. Watch him closely for now. Make sure he is eating and drinking normally. Hopefully the diarrhea subsides within the next day or two - if it continues, Max may need to go back to see the Vet (He must really be getting to know his vet by now. Poor Max! ) I would also at that stage be tempted to try changing to a different food that contains no chicken (such as the Beef soup) and see if there is any change in stools.
If it fluctuates consistency, let me know (otherwise I will assume it has all been watery diarrhea.)
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2016 20:48:48 GMT -5
Max has not seen the vet after his antibiotics. I'm also not sure if the bowl change was from the medicine changing because they gave us too little and we had to go back and get more. The second time around it was vanilla, thicker consistency and sweet. The first one was a clear watery chicken version. He did not get any pepto and I was never successful at getting him to eat the pumpkin but eventually I stopped because I wanted to figure out why he would go from solid to watery and back again. He's been on the same kibble without carnivore care because by the time it came in he would have five doses into his meds anyway and I figured by then he wouldn't need it anymore. That and his appetite went back to fairly normal after we started treating him so I wasn't as concerned at the time. At least this way we know the only things he had are two different flavors of antibiotic and Instinct Chicken FDR.
I bought stuff for beef soup for this time around to see if getting him on that made his stools even out some and I got some chicken wings for Mei to try out just out of curiosity to see if I can get her to start chewing on some bone instead of the cage bars. I'm hoping to start fully eliminating the kibble as soon as Max starts eating the soup finally haha. It was near impossible before because I found out both of them have started stashing kibble everywhere in response to me removing it. I still find it in weird places.
So far he goes from having soft poo that is formed to a more watery poo and kind of bounces back and forth depending up until today. Today he has had great poops that look much closer to normal so I'm hoping this is a sign it was just the treatment and I won't have to cut chicken from their diet since it's one of the easiest proteins to get. He's acting perfectly normal, eating, etc and both are shedding in preparation for the winter so they're going to start getting eggs to help with hair. Hopefully that doesn't set him off again, poor guy. Based on what I've seen I'm optimistic it was just the meds but I'll keep a close eye on him and keep track of any off days he has and what he ate that day.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 5:10:39 GMT -5
I am so glad to hear that the stool consistency for Max has improved. Having some soft stools rather than diarrhea is always a plus. With diarrhea, it tends to move fast through the digestive tract so ongoing diarrhea can be quite dangerous. It can dehydrate ferrets real fast, and the nutrients are very poorly absorbed into the body. It can be even more concerning when it happens to such young animals, like Max. You must have had quite a few stressful weeks with Max experiencing some awful diarrhea. The fact that he is showing improvement is fantastic, you must be feeling more relieved. I was suspecting a protein sensitivity, but I'm happy that there is improvement. I'm quite impressed with the way you handled things. You are a very responsible ferrent, Max and Mei are very lucky to be with you. Good work with the bone in meat idea. Since Mei is still very young, she shouldn't have too much trouble adjusting to the new food. The more you introduce it, the more they will get interested. I recommend trialling it as a whoile wing and see how she goes. If she's not interested at first, that's okay. Just keep trying later on until she becomes interested. It seemed like one step forward two steps back for a second there with Max, but great work! He's doing so well (poop wise haha!) Continue how you are, sometimes things don't always go to plan, but as long as you are optimistic and confident with the transition then you've got this and you will get there.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 21:06:58 GMT -5
Haha I like to think I'm doing an ok job when I'm not freaking out...Sometimes I worry I'm not doing well or like they should be much further along by now. Mei had the blockage protocol tonight since she was coughing up a storm and it looks like she's started chewing on her ramp cover for some reason. I swear this girl can't go more than a month without chewing up something she doesn't need to be eating. She licked the chicken wing but didn't try to eat it. I'll try putting one in a few times a week and see if she eventually decides to take a bite. I'm hoping to have them both off of kibble by Monday if Max stops being such a butt. I hope your week gets better soon. Here's the cutest pic of Max I could find with Mei as the blanket
|
|