Post by michelleapalmer on Nov 1, 2011 2:24:41 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
I am hoping to get some opinions on what is currently going on with my boy, Slinky. He's a rescue ferret that I got a little over a month ago. He's maybe 3 years old and seemed healthy when I brought him home.
I've been in the early stages of switching him to raw -- he was in the raw soupie with chunks stage. But over the last week or so, I noticed he was eating less and less. Not sure if he was just bring stubborn or if it was me going too fast with the switch. Long story short, I noticed he hadn't touched his food all day and when he got out of the cage, he was wobbly and exhibiting all the classic hypoglycemic signs. We gave him a very small amount of sugar water (probably not enough) and got him eating (kibble) and drinking, and then he fell asleep. But after a little bit, he seemed lifeless and unresponsive, so in a panic we put honey on his gums. He was a little reactive a few hours later, so we gave him more water and went to bed. (1am Monday).
In the morning, we noticed teeth grinding and he had a few dark, tarry stools. He was clearly dehydrated, too. (Although I heard him drinking during the night.) We got him to the vet at 11am. She took his blood sugar and said she wasn't concerned about it -- she was worried about the dehydration. He was kind of alert but clearly miserable and in pain. He retched a few times while he was there but that was the only time. She gave him a shot of buprenorphine.
Here's what she prescribed: SubQ fluids, Clavamox Drops, Pepto Bismol, and Flagyl. (I wont have the flagyl until tomorrow since it's being compounded). She also sent me home with some A/D.
It's now midnight. He's urinated a few times and has pooped twice. Hydration-wise, he seems better, as his skin falls down much better than it did when pinched before. But his stools are small and dark -- when smeared, it's obvious that there is blood in there. It's not bright red, but it's there. His belly feels big -- it sounds swishy and full of liquid, like the sound of a waterbed. I can also hear some creaking sounds in there, like bad indigestion.
I've had to force feed the A/D... I've made a new mixture of softened kibble, A/D, and chicken baby food in hopes that it would be more familiar. But when syringe feeding, he struggles a lot, grinds his teeth, and is very unhappy. It seems like torture. I'm sure you're all familiar with wearing more than what actually goes in. But it's all the nutrition he's getting at this point. His energy is next to none and it's breaking my heart. He's now sleeping on the bottom level of his cage because he gets halfway up the ramp and just lays there and can't make it up all the way. It's all happened so fast.
I have no hesitation when it comes to nursing him back to life, however long it may take. I know that if he's does have ulcers, it will take time to heal them. I just need to know if this is something that anyone has gone through -- does this sound like a classic case of ulcers? Has anyone experienced something like this and it was something completely different? I realize this is the first day and his body has gone through a lot, so I would like to know if you guys think this sounds typical. Or am I just causing him unnecessary suffering?
Experiences and opinions are greatly greatly appreciated, as well as any tips that you might have.
I am hoping to get some opinions on what is currently going on with my boy, Slinky. He's a rescue ferret that I got a little over a month ago. He's maybe 3 years old and seemed healthy when I brought him home.
I've been in the early stages of switching him to raw -- he was in the raw soupie with chunks stage. But over the last week or so, I noticed he was eating less and less. Not sure if he was just bring stubborn or if it was me going too fast with the switch. Long story short, I noticed he hadn't touched his food all day and when he got out of the cage, he was wobbly and exhibiting all the classic hypoglycemic signs. We gave him a very small amount of sugar water (probably not enough) and got him eating (kibble) and drinking, and then he fell asleep. But after a little bit, he seemed lifeless and unresponsive, so in a panic we put honey on his gums. He was a little reactive a few hours later, so we gave him more water and went to bed. (1am Monday).
In the morning, we noticed teeth grinding and he had a few dark, tarry stools. He was clearly dehydrated, too. (Although I heard him drinking during the night.) We got him to the vet at 11am. She took his blood sugar and said she wasn't concerned about it -- she was worried about the dehydration. He was kind of alert but clearly miserable and in pain. He retched a few times while he was there but that was the only time. She gave him a shot of buprenorphine.
Here's what she prescribed: SubQ fluids, Clavamox Drops, Pepto Bismol, and Flagyl. (I wont have the flagyl until tomorrow since it's being compounded). She also sent me home with some A/D.
It's now midnight. He's urinated a few times and has pooped twice. Hydration-wise, he seems better, as his skin falls down much better than it did when pinched before. But his stools are small and dark -- when smeared, it's obvious that there is blood in there. It's not bright red, but it's there. His belly feels big -- it sounds swishy and full of liquid, like the sound of a waterbed. I can also hear some creaking sounds in there, like bad indigestion.
I've had to force feed the A/D... I've made a new mixture of softened kibble, A/D, and chicken baby food in hopes that it would be more familiar. But when syringe feeding, he struggles a lot, grinds his teeth, and is very unhappy. It seems like torture. I'm sure you're all familiar with wearing more than what actually goes in. But it's all the nutrition he's getting at this point. His energy is next to none and it's breaking my heart. He's now sleeping on the bottom level of his cage because he gets halfway up the ramp and just lays there and can't make it up all the way. It's all happened so fast.
I have no hesitation when it comes to nursing him back to life, however long it may take. I know that if he's does have ulcers, it will take time to heal them. I just need to know if this is something that anyone has gone through -- does this sound like a classic case of ulcers? Has anyone experienced something like this and it was something completely different? I realize this is the first day and his body has gone through a lot, so I would like to know if you guys think this sounds typical. Or am I just causing him unnecessary suffering?
Experiences and opinions are greatly greatly appreciated, as well as any tips that you might have.