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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 18:23:19 GMT -5
Alvin has decided not to eat anything that is a sliver. With his sugars should I let him just get away with the softer stuff and build up again or is this more of a "I am Mama and know what's best?" He is looking better and is trying to open doors which is a favorite activity if his right now. I want him to get a good meal but I also don't want to encourage bad eating habits. Do you have suggestions on finding balance?
Update: alvin is still a good boy who does what he's asked. His gum is inflamed over one of his canine teeth so that is why he is refusing slivers. Poor baby. I have an email off to the vet so hopefully he can get started on a pain reliever and something to help with the swelling. He did have a good dinner of quail with eggshell (about 1/8 tsp tonight) and I cut up the quail into tiny slivers. I may have to purée his hearts tomorrow. I'll let you know what the vet says. I have her personal cell phone number (she does indeed care!) so if nothing else I can text her a picture and get started that way but I would like to get a BG reading so appointment is best. Thanks!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2015 3:41:42 GMT -5
Since he's having gum issues, i want to suggest hand feeding medium-large chunks. i know it'll be a little bit of tough love but it might actually help. it will help massage his gums and clean his teeth. i wonder how he hurt it or ir might be gingivitis? you know how the dentist tells you to brush and floss daily and when you don't the second you brush and floss your gums bleed. might be that? =/ poor little guy. hope the vet can get to see him, a bg test would be great to see where he's at. also, since he's on the softer side of meals, are you brushing his teeth? i'm pretty sure i've mentioned this before but i dont remember reading whether you were. gizzards can help with cleaning gums and teeth. many use a toothpaste called oxyfresh pet, highly recommended. (here's a link to videos on how to hand feed: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/17881/hand-feeding-ferret) sorry that i haven't posted since this afternoon, i hurt my wrist so holding my phone or typing either feels weird or hurts with the brace on.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2015 6:44:55 GMT -5
I hope your wrist feels better! The ferret party we went to was Spa Day where we learned how to brush teeth (heather Pittman gave the presentation and she may be a member of the forum). I have toothpaste now so I am going to start brushing his teeth. I will watch that video and give it a try. Thanks!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2015 23:54:07 GMT -5
oh that's so awesome! a fert toothbrushing party! thats an incredible idea. I've never heard of it before but it's needed sometimes. How's alvin doing so far? Poops and gums? Did you happen to get a vet appt as well? keep me posted for sure. =)
thanks for the well wishes. still hurts just not as bad but still wearing a brace for support. =/
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 5:53:33 GMT -5
We got some good info at the party - best way to brush teeth, bathe, clean ears, clean their environments. Alvin's poop is better but I tried to get him to eat solids and he fought terribly. I gave in after a half hour. I was very worried about his BG. He does have an appt this afternoon but I am going to try to get to the other vet earlier. The one he has the appt with usually cuts the nail to the quick to get blood and now Slvins lymph nodes are swelling. The other vet is more of an expert with ferrets and if Alvin has lymphoma I would rather he see the expert. We have a follow up appointment with the expert vet but that is in a week from Saturday- way too long to wait. I will keep you posted and I'm hoping for the best with an infection. Terrified he has lymphoma.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 14:07:47 GMT -5
Yeah, I would go with the morning vet. They should never cut the quick. It's very painful =( Glad his stools are better but that news about possible lymphoma just broke my heart. Let me know what happens at the appt. If he's not wanting med-lg chunks, go back to small slivers. We need him to eat on his own. Poor little guy.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 20:48:20 GMT -5
Hi Joci, well I'm not impressed with the original vet. She did listen to me about not untying his nail. His BE was 80 and I couldn't get my meter to work to calibrate. she didn't seem to know much about lymph nodes though. Alvin got like this the previous ferret party so hopefully it isn't more serious than my 4 am mind was thinking. I do have an app with a really good ferret vet in a week but I'm going to try to bump that up to earliest available. We did start him on carafe to help with any tummy issues.
I did see that his gums are bleeding a little as I tried to get him to take carafate. Should I try massaging his gums with Q tips and warm water without the tooth paste for the first couple of times? He isn't fighting me about soft food right now so should I try the massage/cleaning at night so he may be better with food in the morning? I will also try to get him to eat slivers as soon as he will stand me trying to hand feed him. We also have medicine for diarrhea but I'm holding off on that until the carafate / teeth cleaning (hopefully) help and get him to the point where he will eat more.
He fell asleep in one of my old sweatshirts so I put that in his room. Maybe that will be comforting to him. Colby cat has been acting up today with Alvin being out (I am trying to keep the cat away as he likes to chase and pounce) so we have our hands full right now.
I will keep you posted. Thanks so much!
Eta: Alvin has another appointment with the best ferret vet in town Tuesday morning. First available.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2015 15:31:23 GMT -5
I'm glad that the vet listened to you regarding not cutting the quick. 80mg/dL is pretty good, granted 90 is normal. But he's doing good on the pred and high protein meals! The highest my 2 ever got was low 70s on pred, diazoxide and high protein meals every 6 hrs.
Since the gums are still bleeding and you want to feed soft food (grinds with sliver?), try brushing them every day To clean his teeth and remove the plaque and bacteria that are causing the gum inflammation and bleeding. Use the toothpaste too.
Hope the carafate helps the upset tummy. I swore I remember reading that he might have helicobacter? I can't remember where I read it >.< I might've read it elsewhere. Pinky had helicobacter. It was a loooong 2 wk treatment where it was tough love force feedings. Broke my heart everytime. Don't forget to add the eggshells to his meals to make the poops more solid than watery. Let me know how he's doing.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2015 17:21:31 GMT -5
Thanks Joci. He looks better today with the carafate. His poops are solid. He will (unhappily I'm sure) get started on soupie with slivers again and weaned off the baby food. Still a tired boy but he does not fight the food any more. I"m going to try his teeth tonight. I have a baby tooth brush (6 - 9 month old) but I also may start with a Q-tip. See how he reacts. Glad Hubby is here to help! The helicobactor was just a thought since I also had a stomach bug, but I think that is now not a consideration. The last time he went to a ferret party he had a similar reaction so I thought it was the BG drop, but now I think the excitement and other ferrets give him an awful tummy ache. As much as he loves going he can't go to any more. He seems happy to chase the cat around, although not right now. I'll let you know how he is doing in the morning!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2015 17:41:16 GMT -5
Pinky had helicobacter. It was a loooong 2 wk treatment where it was tough love force feedings. Broke my heart everytime.
It is so hard when our babies don't feel good. I started crying the other night because I came home to feed Alvin but had to go back out right after. He gave me the saddest little face when I put him back in his play pen. I let him back out but I only had a minute. Put him back down and got the same sad face. Drove to my meeting with tears streaming down my face. Plus I was late cause I had to have more Alvin time. So sorry your Pinky had such a rough time with her infection and treatment but she had a very good Mom! They were very precious! Cute babies.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 14:46:25 GMT -5
Alvin saw a ferret specific vet today. No lymphoma and no infection. He just needs extra cuddles and now better food to pick up his energy. Will brush teeth daily from now on!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 18:13:52 GMT -5
Alvin saw a ferret specific vet today. No lymphoma and no infection. He just needs extra cuddles and now better food to pick up his energy. Will brush teeth daily from now on!
OMG! Thank god! Sorry that I didn't even get on last night. I just got home and collapsed after a long work out. >.< I'm so happy that it's not the L-word.
It is so hard when our babies don't feel good. I started crying the other night because I came home to feed Alvin but had to go back out right after.
It is hard. I often compare ferrets to human babies/ toddlers. That's how I see them. They require a lot of loving and attention or they get into trouble like babies do. I completely understand that feeling, believe me. It's frustration mixed with sadness. Frustrated because they can't tell you how they feel and sad because of how hopeless you feel sometimes. -Hugs- You're not alone though, remember that. You have me and the whole fert community. =)
He looks better today with the carafate. His poops are solid. He will (unhappily I'm sure) get started on soupie with slivers again and weaned off the baby food.
I'm glad he's looking better with carafate =) That's good, it's doing its job. Solid poops are good! Lol. Let me know how the soups with slivers go. I'm sure he won't be happy but, he needs to continue progressing and get away from soups. Well, soups aren't bad and once in a while they're okay so when they do get sick they still recognize it as food. Keep up with the tooth brushing! Soon his gums will be feeling better and we can get back to slivers!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2015 18:11:59 GMT -5
Quick reply. Alvin had quail and chicken thigh for breakfast with only a little baby food plus egg shell. He is perking up but slowly. I'm sure that now he is eating solid meats he will feel so much better! Thanks. Will write more later.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2015 7:31:53 GMT -5
I got Alvin to eat a bit more pork and chicken slivers and Stella's. I know his gums hurt and the toothpaste seems to soothe them. He just doesn't want to do anything. I'm hoping that he will feel better soon. It took him a long time to fully feel better after that first ferret party made him sick so I'm trying to keep him eating and comfortable. He has another vet appt on Saturday. I am worried about him.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2015 14:03:04 GMT -5
Keep me posted. Poor little guy. Maybe he got stressed? I'm glad that he's at least eating, which is good. Are his gums still bleeding as much as before? Swollen?
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