AudreySwierczynski's Switching Thread/Bitbiter

[Deleted]

Very grateful that you think we aren't in too bad of shape! It's definitely a wee bit stressful on mom here. Haha.

I can give you the regular update with the photos if Lucy a little later on, once we've finished feedings.

Just a couple different updates..

Downloaded the app for proboards and it think for now (2 mins into using it) it works better than the mobile version whiles computer is down...

Lucy's vet called and the culture showed zero signs of an infection. She's been sleeping more, coughs a bit on and off with some rapid breathing here and there. And there is the weight loss. Told the vet about that too, which worried him. So because there was zero infection... He says it could be the kidneys or potentially a cancer (her litter mate from previous owner passed away from cancer about 1.5 years ago...) because she is getting older. I am always so worried about my girls, and it makes obviously no sense that the raw is causing this so, because she is feeling not so awesome should I keep kibble available for her and just push the raw really hard so she doesn't need it. I just don't know of given her situation I should be withholding food? Any thoughts on this? I just don't want anything egging on whatever is going in with my Lucy. I really want her to be fully raw ASAP because I know it will help her so much in the long run, even if it turns out to be bad. Idk, just a worried ferrant. :/

[Deleted]

And for only your second round as a mentor you are doing great! (:

[Deleted]

Update:

June 24:
Izzy- 17g still finger licks
Lucy- 27g finger licks for today
Ziva- 30g eats from bowl, snacks from fingers haha.
Jane- 10g very finicky still but still will lick it. Maybe it's the texture? Idk.

June 25:
Izzy- 19g still finger licks....
Lucy- 36g (dance) ate from the bowl, started with finger and all in one sitting!
Jane- 15g much more receptive today! Still finger licks.
Ziva- 28g finger licks here and there, but really just ate from the bowl. Multiple snacks, not in one sitting.

And the photos don't want to upload!! Ugh! I've been trying for like 20 mins. So sorry.... This whole phone thing. ): I've tried the mobile version and the app. )':

[bitbyter]

Ok, I'll get Sherry and Heather to read over the thread and see what they think about Lucy's health situation.

Ziva: is pretty much where we want her (I think, wilfully eating from bowl on her own?).

Lucy: eating from bowl, correct?

Jane: being stubborn

Izzy: being stubborn

Has Lucy shown any signs of being more aggressive or more "cuddly" lately? Any signs of hair loss ANYWHERE *check between or on the underside of her legs, rump and base of tail. Unfortunately 4 years old is not an uncommon age for Adrenal these days.

[Deleted]

I'm super vigilant about adrenal checks. Nothing points to adrenal. No hair loss. no nesting. no aggressive behavior. no hair loss. She isn't "itchy". or motherly. lymph nodes feel fine. I stayed up all night with her and I have to take her to the vet as soon as they open. She had such a rough night. She woke me up with a crazy cough/hack/wheez and then lost of rapid breathing. And she just seems like she can't get comfortable and that she is in pain. I'm very worried. Ill keep you posted.

[bitbyter]

Ok, it definitely doesn't sound like Adrenal from what you are describing. Hopefully you figure it out quickly.

[Deleted]

Okay, so just for back from the vet. Lucy still has the trace of blood in her urine and his thoughts (since it isn't an infection) are that it's a combination of stress (of the two different antibiotics she was on, and switching her food source), down the road kidney issues, and she also had an allergic reaction to her medication. Which is odd, because none of my other girls have ever reacted that way but I guess everyone is different.

So plan of action is to get her weight up, and eliminate the raw for a week or so. And then reintroduce it to her (Since she loves it I see no issue here). And I have to keep her sleeping separate from Izzy for a few days so she can rest. Izzy is a lot younger and likes to pester.

No changes for the other girls, and we will keep trucking along getting them stuffed to the brim with meaty soup!

Any additional thoughts?

[bitbyter]

I'm not so sure about removing her from the switch (I spoke with Sherry and heather, they both agree to try and keep going with the switch). If she is enjoying it and not showing any issues with the food (funky poops, you having to force feed her, etc) then I don't think it's really necessary (but you are her ferrent it is your decision). You could just try leaving her on the raw and adding a bit more fat to her diet to help her gain weight back (chicken skin, fat from chicken backs, etc). Heather also suggested that adding a bit of whole fat goats milk or kitten milk to her soup might help (unsure about this myself as I have never used it).

I'll just expand on this a little bit. As Lucy is the best raw eater so far, putter her back on kibble isn't going to do much for her nutritionally. There could be many reasons for her losing the weight (her illness, summer time loss, maybe she was a bit overweight on kibble, etc). If you put her back on kibble and the other ferret you house her with (can't remember which one), gets to the no kibble stage, you are going to have to separate them to make sure the other ferret keeps progressing while Lucy is still on kibble. Being separated from her cage mate will probably stress her more than the food switch will.

Anyhow those are my thoughts on the situation. Let me know how you decide to proceed and I hope Lucy starts feeling better. I recently went through a couple of months with Wilma where she was having pretty severe allergic reactions. It is so hard when they are sick and they can't tell you what is wrong or where they hurt.

[Deleted]

I really didn't want to take her off of it, but the vet recommended it. As long as you guys think that she will be fine ill keep her on it. I just don't want to force her and stress her out more. Ill just put the bowl down for her and kind of encourage it and see what happens?

Do you think separating her to allow her to rest from Izzy is the best option as well? She's in the sick cage by herself right now. I read your thread on the allergic reactions for Wilma and I cannot remember....

And I'll just beef up the fat for her. No
Milk. /: not easily found around here.

And she is having very loose stools now. Like watery, as of late last night.

[bitbyter]

Does Izzy antagonize her? If not, I only separate if I'm:

A. Trying to get a good look at their poop, so I know who is doing what.

B. If I think the one ferret might have something communicable.

C. If I want to be 100% sure how much one of them is eating.

D. If they are fighting

E. If one has stitches and the other might groom them off / out.

Other than that I don't really see a need to separate them. The problem comes if you switch Lucy back to kibble it will hold Izzy back as she will have kibble available when she really doesn't need it anymore.

You have to be the judge of if separating Lucy from Izzy is / will be more stressful for her or if holding back Izzy's switch is worth less stress on Lucy because they are together. In the end I / we can only advise, you have to be the one to decide what is best for her. Sorry to state this again but I am not 100% comfortable giving advise when a sick ferret is involved as I don't want to come across as the be all and end all of ferret knowledge (which I am far from ). She is your pet and the decisions regarding her health are totally up to you regardless of what someone online says.

hmmm, the watery stools are worrying. Try increasing the bone meal content of her soup a bit and maybe add a teaspoon of pure pumpkin (not pie filling) and see if that helps. If it continues for more than 24 hrs I'll have to ask Sherry and Heather to step in with their advise.

What meats are in the kibble you are using? I am wondering if perhaps Lucy has a chicken sensitivity?

[bitbyter]

Also, make sure she has plenty of water available and is drinking. Diarrhea can cause dehydration.

[Deleted]

Well, izzy just pesters her to death sometimes wanting to play but other than that she doesn't bother her. They are BFFs!

I do want to make sure she is eating and take a looksy at her poops...so I think I may keep them separately sleeping for just tonight. I just ask all of these questions because I get so nervous that ill make the wrong decision. :s

Ill update the meats in the kibble in one min.....

And as long as you don't think the raw is causing/egging on her cough/wheezing then I feel safe to keep her on it. Which I don't think it would but its always safe to get a second opinion.

And as for the pumpkin. How does it come? Since its not fall, finding a raw fresh pumpkin is not easy

[Deleted]

And the Totally Ferret I use is ALL chicken... And by products of chicken.....

[bitbyter]

Ok, so chances are it's not a chicken sensitivity (since the kibble was chicken). Pumpkin is canned (and pre-cooked) but it can be hard to find some places. Should be in the baking section. No the raw shouldn't be affecting her breathing. BTW have x-rays / ultrasound been done to check for masses or an enlarged heart?

Believe me I know what it is like (you've read my Allergy thread on Wilma). I just don't like giving advise when it comes to sick ferrets as I've only have mine for about 2 years now. I have read / learned a lot, but giving advise on sickies is something I don't feel totally confident about. Your worried about making a wrong decision (which I can totally understand) and I wouldn't want to encourage you too much one way or another on whatever decision you make. All I can really do is provide what information I have.

Another thing to keep in mind is that during the raw switch it CAN make their poops funky for a while as they adjust but with her other symptoms it's hard to know if it is the raw affecting her poop or her unknown illness at this point. She has been eating more raw than the other so she could just be further along the "detox" process. They're poops get funky for a while and they actually smell nasty for a while as well (the poops and the ferret). It will pass and then you will be amazed at how little they smell.

[Deleted]

Gotcha! I will look for it.

And yes, her senior exam was just done like 1 week ago. She appeared PERFECT. The peak of health. Lungs looked great. Heart looked amazing. I even asked about her heart today, I was worried about congestive heart failure and such. The worst she has is an enlarged spleen but its a healthy one so the vet says.

And I understand how you feel. And I really appreciate all the info you have given. Like, with Ziva and Jane, I've had them since they were wee kits. I know how to react. With Lucy, I've only had her about a year yet she is like almost five. I've had no experience with her health previously and everything. Idk. Just hard with our babies, we love them so much. I just wish they could talk to us.

And about the poops: I figured they would get runny because they are eating soup. Humans get the same thing when we eat softer foods and all. Really, the only thing I was worried about was the cough/wheeze and that has hopefully passed. She was playing with izzy tonight.

I think you may be right because she was looking for the raw. She didn't eat on her own but she thoroughly enjoyed me feeding her. Haha.