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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2011 18:28:10 GMT -5
Midna was gagging late Friday night, but only once. She threw up what looked like broth from the raw diet she eats, and then did fine. She has had gagging episodes in the past where we took her to the Dr and xrayed her and everything was fine, no explicable issues. She is on the same diet as always, just a different mix of it, but the same protein sources and supplements of olive oil, fish oil and pumpkin.
Yesterday she continued gagging now and then, but nothing comes up or just saliva comes up. She is eating a bit less but is also drinking and passing stools normally. I gave her vaseline and acorn squash and I saw that come out. She does seem to be sleeping more and generally not quite herself. No blockage is evident.
Gave her a bath today, no hair really came out. She doesn't appear to be shedding. She did have earmites that we treated everyone each day last week, maybe she swallowed some somehow and is just now having a reaction or irritation??? I don't get it. I don't know what I ought to do but I don't want to panic since she is eating and pooping ok.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 3, 2011 21:31:48 GMT -5
Every so often, mine will gag, or toss bile, for no apparant reason. Understand, raw fed ferrets can do this with little to no repurcussions that kibble fed ferrets will have. They don't suffer the borderline dehydration, so don't have as much trouble as their counterparts do with a less appropriate food.
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Post by taratee on Apr 3, 2011 21:37:44 GMT -5
if my ferrets make that choking noise i feel like there might be something in their throat i give them a lick of somethign that will make them swallow bunches like an oil or vite to try adn work whatever it is out of their throat
this could be totally wrong and if it is i hope someone tells me but its what i do and has worked so far for me
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Post by Sherry on Apr 3, 2011 21:43:16 GMT -5
Works for mine as well!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2011 22:15:41 GMT -5
I'd just a bit of pumpkin and oil - they should be fine
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2011 22:28:48 GMT -5
Well, I did try giving her more squash tonight but she won't take much at a time. Maybe like a fingernail sized amount. She is still pooping but I'm not seeing her eat near as much as she normally does. I don't know if she just doesn't like it or what. I'd hate to have to try and give that by syringe. I'm a bit scared to give her the ferrettone or furovite for the high sugar... But I don't know what else to give her. The Dr who usually sees her is out of town this week... I hope I'm not being too panicky. Do your ferrets ever do it for a couple days at a time?? Is that normal? I also read about this hairball remedy: en.allexperts.com/q/Ferrets-2277/2008/3/Coughing-Gagging-Throat.htmDoes anyone ever use that? Does it work better/worse than the oil and pumpkin?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2011 14:05:47 GMT -5
I think I may have possibly found the problem...
We made a new soup mix since we couldn't find all the same ingredients at the meat market this past time and she hasn't taken to it too well. I tried mixing it half and half with the old stuff but she isn't digging it. So today I go to feed her some more pumpkin and regular food right? She turns it down and I let her go to make sure she doesn't need to poop or something. She hides under the dresser... and sits there a while. So I grab her and find she is chewing on something. Tried to get it out and a little piece of homemade ferret jerky comes out! I look under my dresser and there are TONS of pieces of old jerky!! >_< NO WONDER she's choking, shes eating old hard rotten meat... Ugh!
What do you do to keep this type of problem under control?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2011 14:23:15 GMT -5
Feed only in the cage. When you let them out, close up the cage. Check bedding for goodies, and check stash spots daily Ferret jerky is the best kind in their opinion
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2011 14:30:33 GMT -5
They will keep stash, and protect it, until it is the next thing to fossilized bone that you can get! It's just a matter of keeping on top of their antics, and clearing things out as you can, lol.
Fuzzy should also be going through spring-shed right now, so brushing them and changing out the bedding and cuddle cups a bit more often helps -- that, and just make sure that they're hydrated, and some pumpkin, vaseline or TonicLax to clear the esophagus & bowel of any possible hairballs, but you have to use the stuff judiciously.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2011 5:01:47 GMT -5
Wow! You know I've had ferrets for 6 years and none ever gave me the issues I have now. I wonder if I just didn't notice back then or if I just got lucky?
Thanks for the advice, guys! Probably kept me from hauling off to the ER this weekend. It's so scary when one of them starts gagging or throwing up. There's such a short window of time to figure out what's wrong.
I did put their food in a different place in the cage last night and they ate better than they were previously. I will definitely stop leaving the food outside the cage, although I might need to set up some sort of den. Midna ate better but still not normal. I'll watch her these next few days and see.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2011 8:51:11 GMT -5
Setting up food on a hook can help prevent stashing, but it will still happen if you feed inside the cage. They are so sneaky!
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Post by Sherry on Apr 5, 2011 12:36:50 GMT -5
What do mean "if you feed outside the cage" ? I feed inside the cage, and the little blighters still manage to stash gods alone know how much meat elsewhere ;D They just climb the cage and hook it out, or push it out while still inside
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Post by Heather on Apr 5, 2011 13:24:39 GMT -5
I found as much stashed meat on the outside as inside. I just don't bother, locking them up about it any more. They do get their rodents and other furry meats at night when they're locked up. There are key stash places that I clear out on a regular basis but I always miss and find some when it's become the delicacy known as ferret jerky. It doesn't seem to bother them....rather like a dog with a rotten old bone. It appears that once it reaches that state it's ok to eat again (at least by the ferret's recipe). My biggest complaint is this year they discovered the heating vent. It's normally under one of the cages (it's closed off but you still get some heat out of it), making it inaccessible. This year it's under the dresser. They've always hidden or slept under the dresser but since they've found the heat vent they've got creative and make their own quick dried fuzz jerky....brats ciao
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Post by crazylady on Apr 5, 2011 14:02:27 GMT -5
LoL Stashes are not unusual here either even though mine are fed in there cages ( mine dont have hammocks or blankets ) they sleep in in soft shredded kitchen paper ( well its t bag offcuts from the local paper mill actually lol ) which they tunnel into and make nests from ( no laundry just pull out and recycle lol ) its nor unusual to clean out a bed and in summer I have placed my hand in dragged it out only to find my hand alive with maggots lol and a ferret who looks at me with utter disgust as if to say awww it was just getting nice and tender you found it dont take it lol ( yuck ) even though I check beds every morning for left over meat the odd chunk does escape detection every now and again lol talk about growing your own protien my guys sure know how to do that lol take care bye for now crazy lady( Bev )
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Post by Sherry on Apr 5, 2011 14:10:02 GMT -5
Bet you're glad your's live outside Bev ;D I couldn't even begin to imagine finding that *shivers*
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