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Post by aelainea on Apr 12, 2021 12:56:46 GMT -5
So, Marshmallow has officially been diagnosed with IBD — all of the symptoms I thought were IBD, were. He was doing so good for so long after we switched him to Orijen Regional Red, but he's in the middle of a really bad flare up right now and was refusing even to eat. The vet thinks it may have progressed to GI lymphoma, but it's hard to tell from the x-rays and if the treatment is pretty much the same, I don't know that I want to put him through the stress of a biopsy and all of that.
We just started prednisolone and metronidazole yesterday, which has been fun (the metronidazole struggle is real). The diarrhea is also causing prolapses after he potties, the poor little guy. He looks all-around miserable. This is just all background information, because I want to get him on raw so we can start an elimination diet and find out what his triggers are. We're feeling more determined than ever this time, and discovered that there's a Woody's Pet Deli down the street from us!
So my question is, should we be waiting until he is more stabilized to start a switch, and give the pred/metro time to work? If so, how long? If his current food is causing further irritation/inflammation, would it be best to switch him over asap? I've been reading that lamb is an easily digestible protein that is good for ferrets with IBD, so we wanted to start there. Maybe throw some rabbit into the mix, too.
Anyone have experience switching ferrets with IBD to raw?
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Post by eclipso on Apr 12, 2021 18:02:39 GMT -5
In my opinion, raw is always better, and it'll be easier on the stomach to eat raw pieces of meat than dry kibble. Try mixing the kibble with water and see how he does, then if all is ok add tiny bits of raw to see if he does better on that. Do it little by little so his stomach doesn't get irritated. I hope this helps. The raw will be better for his health. Consider probiotics too. Here's some research by the website All About Ferrets: "In the ferret, there is a growing body of evidence that microorganisms are a prime cause of IBD, although likely not the only causes. Helicobacter mustelae, a ubiquitous bacteria in the ferret stomach, causes profound lymphocytic inflammation which destroys the stomach lining, necessitating treatment in about 10% of all ferrets." - All About Ferrets Since Helicobacter is a bacteria in the ferret, probiotics help by increasing the amount of healthy bacteria. This occupies space, so bad bacteria have less space to live and it helps digestion in the ferret. I don't have a ferret yet, so this is all based on research I've done  |
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Post by aelainea on Apr 12, 2021 19:58:19 GMT -5
In my opinion, raw is always better, and it'll be easier on the stomach to eat raw pieces of meat than dry kibble. Try mixing the kibble with water and see how he does, then if all is ok add tiny bits of raw to see if he does better on that. Do it little by little so his stomach doesn't get irritated. I hope this helps. The raw will be better for his health. Consider probiotics too. Here's some research by the website All About Ferrets: "In the ferret, there is a growing body of evidence that microorganisms are a prime cause of IBD, although likely not the only causes. Helicobacter mustelae, a ubiquitous bacteria in the ferret stomach, causes profound lymphocytic inflammation which destroys the stomach lining, necessitating treatment in about 10% of all ferrets." - All About Ferrets Since Helicobacter is a bacteria in the ferret, probiotics help by increasing the amount of healthy bacteria. This occupies space, so bad bacteria have less space to live and it helps digestion in the ferret. I don't have a ferret yet, so this is all based on research I've done That's what I thought, about raw meat being easier on his stomach. We took him to urgent care yesterday and our regular vet wasn't available. When I mentioned this to the exotic vet on duty, she tried to tell me that raw would be harder on his stomach, as in harder to digest, and I had to suppress an eye roll. How could it be, it is literally the meat they need without all of the added (unnecessary) stuff. I hear a lot of people say their vets don't recommend feeding raw, however, either because they're in the pocket of kibble companies, they don't have a good grasp on ferret nutrition, or they've seen raw gone wrong with careless owners (or maybe all of the above). Anyways. We do give him probiotics and slippery elm bark (the latter only during flare ups), but I honestly can't tell if these things help. His appetite is back today, whether from our efforts or the medications. Once his poops firm up, we are officially going to start the transition, I'm just worried it might not be a good idea in his current condition. Thanks for your response! Also, your future ferrets (cause let's be real can you really have just one?!) are going to be very lucky to have you as their ferrent! |
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Post by eclipso on Apr 13, 2021 8:23:18 GMT -5
I'm glad your ferret is doing better! I hope he recovers soon. You can try to boost his health with small amounts of natural vitamins and trace minerals. Dr Pauling (a vet who won the Nobel peace prize twice) said that in humans, every illness and disease can be traced to a mineral deficiency, so giving them minerals can help their body restore health. Two amazing natural sources for trace minerals and amino acids are called Fulvic and Humic acid. They can be bought as powder. Always remember not to give them more than a small pinch of it because even though it has great benefits, it comes from plants. I'm so relieved that his appetite came back, he recovered very fast! You are a great ferrent and I really hope my ferrets will live a happy life like yours do Here's a link for info on Humic and Fulvic acids that I found: wellnessmama.com/61297/fulvic-humic-acid-benefits/ |
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Apr 19, 2021 5:42:49 GMT -5
My Abbey had Ibs. She was on Evo and when this was discontinued, I put her on Wysong. This was years ago---don't know about formula now. Anyway, she developed severe itching and was so little, she could crawl under our washing machine.
When I found the forum, I changed her to raw but a new development occurred. She was sensitive to chicken. She developed ulcers in her throat, which my vet discovered after watching her make a slight heave(like a little belch without the sound). Vet looked in her throat with a pen flashlight and found them. I guess this was was from acid reflux. So, be aware of chicken.
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