vet appointment to gain more knowledge on raw diet?

[stat1c]

This might sound confusing but I’ve been lurking A LOT on this forum and have become incredibly interested in switching my boys to a raw diet and want to consult a doctor about they’re professional opinion before I go balls to the wall with a transition. I’ve read the requirements about signing up for a mentor and understand that there will more than likely be a wait once I complete the requirements. I suppose what I’m asking is when I set up a consult, should I set up appointments for each individual ferret, like a physical? My current vet (to my understanding) isn’t an advocate for the raw diet but I’ve found one that is who I’ve never brought my boys too. What are your thoughts on this? What have people done in the past? Thanks in advance! Happy Holidays!

-Beth

[Heather]

I rarely discuss diet with vets, unless absolutely necessary. I don't open the discussion. If you're wanting to take your little ones in for a physical (annual) or a baseline then take them in all at once. If you want to just open a dialogue with this vet, then you can probably just bring one of your little ones in. I usually make appointments for groups of ferrets if I've got a group. Just make sure you tell them when you go in how many ferrets they're going to be dealing with
Good luck. We don't have a lot of vets who support raw feeding at least openly
ciao

[FireAngel]

I also take mine in a group. Most vets have a discount for multi pet family so that is a plus. When I searched for a vet I had a hard enough time just finding one that was ferret knowledgeable so I never asked prior about how she felt about raw. I was super lucky though and it turned out she is a huge raw advocate and was getting ready to scold me actually when she glanced at poop and thought she saw plant material (it was feathers) until I told her they are fed mainly whole prey and I do not take them outside or even have plants growing inside (I do have plants inside now but did not then lol) I would still use her even if she was not on board with a natural diet for them, just because she is the only ferret competent vet in the area that I found.

[ericap519]

My vet made me feel terrible for feeding raw. She actually said I was putting my 2 year old child at risk for a bacterial infection. I was mortified but not willing to debate with her any further after she actually recommended I feed my ferret Marshall’s kibble. Once she said that I knew she just had no idea 🤦🏼‍♀️

[raynebc]

The first time I took my ferrets to their current vet for Des implants, they asked about their diet and I responded that they are on a peer-reviewed raw meat diet. The vet seemed to accept that very well. Vets that would refuse to agree that proper raw meat or whole prey diets are the healthiest options are simply under-informed.

[msav]

even vets that are not an advocate of a raw diet don't bring it up to me when they see my ferrets. They are happy and healthy and they recognized that. Even when they suspect a bone shard started a root infection in Bleu's tooth. They did not bring up that they should be on a kibble diet. You cant argue with results.

[Sherry]

I've been told everything from "we don't know enough about it to recommend it" to OMG YOUR KILLING YOUR ANIMALS!!!!!
The only diet instruction vets get is a one day course given by Hills.