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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2013 14:04:55 GMT -5
A few months of poor diet will do awful things to their condition, 5 years he's amazing to still be going strong. A very poor diet can make their fur fall out or be a terrible condition/quality. It's amazing how they will bounce back after a few months of good diet and care. If you want to bolster his coat further, a little fish oil every week will help. Preferably salmon, krill or something similar and not cod liver oil.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2013 1:44:54 GMT -5
The other boy that they thought was a girl had terrible fur but it is starting to look a little better. I did buy some more salmon oil. Thanks for your help.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2013 4:25:11 GMT -5
Here is some reading but I'm going to have my boy looked at when I get paid next Friday. I felt around ball in his tummy perfectly round it comes and it goes so I don't know what to do... Ferrets are prone to gaining weight during the fall and winter. This often leads to fat accumulation and fat pads on the sides of the neck. This is a normal, seasonal change and needs no treatment. Fat pads can also develop with the use of some medications, such as melatonin and pred. Ferrets can also have benign tumors of the fat cells. These are called lipomas and usually occur over the back or on the sides. Lipomas are easily treated by removing them surgically.
Lumps and bumps under the skin are common in ferrets, especially as they get older. Some are normal, seasonal changes like fat pads, and some are benign tumors like lipomas. Most of the benign tumors can be treated by surgically removing them. Unfortunately some of the tumors under the skin are malignant. These cancers in ferrets can be treated surgically, medically or with radiation therapy depending on what type of cancer is involved and where it is located.
www.smallanimalchannel.com/ferrets/ferret-health/lumps-and-bumps-under-ferret-skin.aspx
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2013 7:18:53 GMT -5
Perfectly round? That's odd. Often times you can feel the spleen in their tummy area because it's very near the skin, but I don't know what to tell you about a "ball" other than either fat or some sort of tumor/cancer. I hope it's not that. Vet may want to do an ultra sound or x ray. Be prepared for them to say you shouldn't raw feed if they ask what diet the ferret is on. /sigh Vets nutritional training is terrible.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2013 22:11:26 GMT -5
Yes perfectly round but it comes and goes and mostly shows up after he has stuffed his face. It doesn't hurt him if I touch it or rub it nicely he seems to like me touching his tummy so is that a good thing?
My vet said raw is a good diet but he did tell me not to because most people who feed raw just give them only the meat not liver, kedneys, heart and so on. He said almost what you said about that one person who only gave them one chicken wing a day and that's it. Thank you for helping me out.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2013 7:37:47 GMT -5
Yeah, most people don't research the subject or look for help, they just feed chicken breasts or whatever and it leads to all sorts of problems. An unbalanced raw diet is potentially more dangerous than feeding kibble. At least with kibble they are getting the nutrients they need in addition to all the junk they don't and the damage done is slower, over a longer period of time.
I don't think it's a bad thing that it doesn't hurt him to be touched on his belly, but it may still not be a good thing that it's there, if you know what I mean. At least it's not causing him pain or distress, but it will definitely be wanting a vet from the sound of it. May be it's fluid build up or something like that even?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2013 7:03:22 GMT -5
I have been doing a lot of research and have been asking around. I have been thinking because sometime it is there other times I can't feel it and one of my other ferrets does have almost the same round ball. I think I might be feeling his kidney right where the ball is, is where his kidney should be... Now I'm not sure if it is his kidney or if he is sick I'm still going to get him looked at for sure.
He is used to being outside in the cold at winter time and like I said just in the last 7-10 days he has put on a lot of weight and he fluffer then any of my other ferrets. He is getting bigger every day and today when I walked into the room there he was eating and he just wouldn't stop... I had to take him away from the food today. He is over eating I can tell it's getting pretty bad.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2013 7:16:57 GMT -5
He's probably been underfed most of his life, so developing a reaction to gobble up everything in sight all the time would be expected.
However, since he just recently started this behavior it's probably just the seasonal change. Winter can make their appetites triple, and if he's used to living outside then his instinct is going to be to eat, eat, eat and put on fat to keep himself warm.You really don't want to take food away from him unless he's eating so much so quickly he's getting fat enough that he can't move easily/gut really dragging on the floor. Ferrets do have a very fast metabolism.
I'd work on exercising him more if possible, it's what I do with my fatties in the winter. I'll put a snack in a dish and lead the ferret around the house, chasing me up and down stairs and through rooms, let them get a bite of snack then go back to leading. Swimming is another great low impact exercise if they like the water.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2013 3:27:30 GMT -5
I keep watching him and his poops are a little different but nothing to be worried about. I have only had him about six weeks now and he is already giving me kisses and falling alseep on me.
Everyone does seem to be putting on weight but not like him and his fur is so long and fluffy. I ask my aunt if I could use her camera for a day so I will take pictures of all of them.
I have been getting him to go crazy in the rice pool, getting him to play more, and I chase him around he seems to like it. He also seems to be really lazy... but then sometimes he just wants to play.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2013 7:39:54 GMT -5
Winter makes them sleepy. My group as a whole has been playing less now. If I climb into their room with them, they just want to cuddle with me and fall asleep curled up against me rather than playing. My biggest furkid right now is a whopping 3.6 lbs for winter.
How is his poop different?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2013 11:21:06 GMT -5
All of mine always almost sleep together it's so cute and now that it is getting colder they all smooth together. My two babys who are 9 months now are still crazy and always want to play. The two boys I adopted one is always going crazy and the other "was" my biggest boy he is a lazy boy sometimes. Then the two new ones one is small, fast, and crazy the other is now my biggest boy, eats eats eats, and does play then sleeps and is lazy.
It looks like someone put oil on it... like it looks a little shiny/wet.
I'm still going to take him to the vet just to get looked at and if he needs anything I made sure I have 200$ if the bill is more I have already talked to my vet and they said they do payment plans.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2013 21:45:46 GMT -5
That sounds like a plan. Have you had a chance to work on posting an updated menu?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2013 9:42:51 GMT -5
On Novemeber 5th 11 days ago I did post my new menu the only thing that has really changed is I feed a bit more liver now and uped somethings by about a cup.
Monday- Half a chicken - Chicken wings x6 - Chicken hearts x8 - Chicken gizzards 1cup - Egg yolks/whole egg x3.
Tuesday- Rabbit meat 2 cup - Choped beef 2 cups - Chicken wings x6 - Chicken or beef liver 1 and a half cup.
Wednesday- Half chicken - Chicken wings x5 - Chicken hearts x8 - Lamb Kedneys x3 - Beef marrow.
Thurday- Lamb Chops 2 cup - Choped beef 1-2 cups- Chciken wings x6 - Chicken gizzards 1cup - Ground beef 1-2 cups.
Friday- Full CGH - Turkey wing 1 or Chicken wings x6 - Choped beef 1cup - Egg yolks/or whole x3.
Saturday- Pork chops 2 cup - Chicken wings x6 - Chicken/beef liver 2 cups - Chicken hearts x8 - Beef marrow.
Sunday- Rabbit meat 1-2 cups - 1 Fatty steak - Turkey wing 1 or Chicken wings x8 - Chicken gizzards 1cup - Eggs x3 - Beef marrow.
I tried giving them two turkey wings but they can only really eat the one... but I did have to up almost everything by a half a cup or even a full cup. It's cold out now and it's just about winter so they are eating more and I always make sure they have food inside and outside the cage. When I find random good meat at the store "chicken necks" Turkey anything" ect then I buy it and put it into the cage or put it in the freezer for later.
I haven't really changed much because they seem to like it and it seems to be working out well. If there is something I need to change or something I should be giving them then let me know please.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2013 7:07:07 GMT -5
They will just want to know how much total liver you feed a week is all and how often, simply saying you added more doesn't tell them enough, especially with something like that which can be harmful if over used.
I wanted to submit your menu for review for graduation.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2013 11:15:55 GMT -5
Okay, thank you. Also, I know saying I added more wouldn't tell you anything that is why I did type it all out.
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