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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 0:39:25 GMT -5
Do you think the reason she isn't gaining weight is because she's not eating enough? I have to say I'd be hesitant to put her back on kibble (kibble is rough on the GI tract). Is there anything else she really loves to eat? Maybe freeze dried?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 1:06:56 GMT -5
She eats small meals, but often enough... I still try to force feed her some ground raw, but she fights me a rough battle... The only thing she does eat willingly is freeze dried... She also LOVES fresh water. So lately, I've been putting a small bowl with half water, half crumbled freeze dried. She eats that, but only until the freeze dried absorbs water, then she doesn't touch it anymore... I make her a few bowls and then she doesn't want any more... I don't know how to make her eat more. I've tried putting treats on top of food, nope. She doesn't want to hear anything about ferretone, and I'm really hesitant to open the Carnivore Care, because knowing her she won't touch it and it'll have been a total waste of a 35$ bag...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 8:11:20 GMT -5
Is there any sort of food at all she enjoys? Such as pumpkin, baby food, fish oil etc you can try adding to a meal or soup to entice her to eat it?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 9:17:55 GMT -5
She also LOVES fresh water. So lately, I've been putting a small bowl with half water, half crumbled freeze dried. She eats that, but only until the freeze dried absorbs water, then she doesn't touch it anymore.
I know ferrets need water, but is it possible, by making it how you are, she is filling her belly up with water instead of food?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 9:39:17 GMT -5
Yurei... the simple answer would be no. ANYTHING I try she hates. The only thing could say that she really does like is her old kibble... and treats. But I tried putting treats on top and she doesn't want that...
Sheila, I know she probably is doing that... filling up with water and only a bit of food, but I'm always scared she's not drinking enough with eating only freeze dried, so I don't think it could be all that bad to get some extra water in her...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 13:24:24 GMT -5
Have you tried syringe feeding? It's awful, but I'd probably start that before she drops any more weight. Does she like raw egg or cream/lactose free milk or anything like that? Oh also, is there any chance her stomach could be upset from meds or stress or anything else? Maybe get something to coat it? Someone mentioned a wild, unexpected medicine in another thread that could be used to increase appetite ,but I don't recall what it was. I think Sherry may have recommended it? Edit: was it valium i think?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 14:47:26 GMT -5
yurei, squirrley, my rescue girl who passed, was on a medication to increase hunger. I will see if I can find it.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 15:02:16 GMT -5
found it: cyproheptadine
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Post by Sherry on Aug 27, 2012 15:05:35 GMT -5
We used it once for our cat, and it had a really bad effect on him. He was horribly ill. Only time to give a med like this is under direct vet supervision.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 15:27:08 GMT -5
sherry: I agree compleatly. any meds should be given under vet supervision. I don't even do natural meds without vet supervission, but I do use this site for medication/ herb names to talk to my vet about.
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Post by Heather on Aug 27, 2012 17:26:33 GMT -5
I would be supplement syringe feeding if she won't sit on your lap and eat a soupy that you make. I've had too many ferrets who appear to be eating but who aren't really eating enough to function on. I call them air lickers. I've got a wee girlie right now who does just that. She can spend a good length of time (longer than some of the other wee ones) at the dinner bowl and not consume a drop. She will appear to be eating and may actually lick at the food, but she's not consuming anything. There is a lot of the head rocking that goes with this type of eating ciao
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2012 1:02:44 GMT -5
I'm not yet to the point of syringe feed. I currently spoon feed my ground raw with a scruff and she eats that. If she stops, then we'll move to the syringe. She also eats some freeze dried on her own, and if I mix a bit of powdered freeze dried with water and give it to her right away before the freeze dried has started to absorb the water, she'll eat the whole thing (as long as it's not too much for her...). But that's it... She's not on any meds, she hates raw egg, and she does (or at least did 2 years ago) like that Purina Cat Milk, which is 98% lactose free I think, but I'm scared there's lots of sugar in there (correct me if I'm wrong...) So it may be best to avoid? I dunno... I don't think I'm to the point where I want to medicate her to up her appetite... that seems a bit extreme too Heather, thanks for the tip! I am already aware that Lyla tends to do this. She'll lick, but then spit it out on the side and lick some more... I noticed this when she was younger. So as to know how much she ate, I put an amount in a plate, and that way I know just how much she ate, comparing what's left to how much I started with She doesn't eat much of my ground raw (if it were ONLY chicken breast with heart, she'd eat, but she hates that I make it all complicated with diff proteins and organs... she hates organs ), but I make her take a bit at least 3 times a day, give her a small bowl of FD with water three times a day, and I witness her eating on her own at least 4-6 times a day. She eats tiny meals, but eats often... Tonight she weighed in at 670g after her feeding! And after that she even had a piece pf FD on her own in the cage! I'll see if tomorrow she keeps that weight on!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2012 13:05:59 GMT -5
I would be supplement syringe feeding if she won't sit on your lap and eat a soupy that you make. I've had too many ferrets who appear to be eating but who aren't really eating enough to function on. I call them air lickers. I've got a wee girlie right now who does just that. She can spend a good length of time (longer than some of the other wee ones) at the dinner bowl and not consume a drop. She will appear to be eating and may actually lick at the food, but she's not consuming anything. There is a lot of the head rocking that goes with this type of eating ciao I've seen picky miss Mayhem do this. That explains what's going on with the head rocking and carrying on and whatnot she does.
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Post by Heather on Aug 29, 2012 19:52:42 GMT -5
I've had a number of fuzzes who do or have done this. It sometimes comes as a shock when you do a weigh in and discover that a wee one who you've thought was eating well (they're at the bowl they appear to be eating) and they're losing weight and or are dehydrated. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2012 20:07:29 GMT -5
Try to get some powered goats milk from the grocery store its known as a universal milk replacer. Very easy to digest and high in fat. Unsalted butter, coconut oil and extra skin and fat trimmings from your own dinners help a lot.
Sent from my SCH-M828C using proboards
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