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Post by xreinvention on Nov 10, 2011 18:46:36 GMT -5
What was your vets reaction when you told them your fuzzies were on a raw diet? Were they all for it or very against it?
After being on a waiting list for a vaccination appointment for Squirt for three weeks his first trip to the vet's is this weekend and I'm just wondering what to expect when letting the vet know he's on a raw diet.
If they aren't supportive, how do you handle the criticism?
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Post by Sherry on Nov 10, 2011 20:12:26 GMT -5
Arm yourself with knowledge is the best way to handle it. And be firm, but polite. This IS what you feed them, and it is NOT going to be changing. I've run the gamut from total agreement to jaw hitting the floor and the vet hitting the roof ;D However- I'd been studying raw diets for carnivores for a couple of years before I ran into that After rebutting all her comments(quite factually) she simply said- "Well then, we simply won't discuss diet" ;D A tech tried to tell me they also run a risk of toxoplasmosis when on raw. So I asked her how much higher was the risk of insulinoma in a kibble fed ferret And simply asked her to study a carnivore's true diet, and not to take anyone's word for it. I've also had vet's admit that I knew far more than they were ever taught in school.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Nov 10, 2011 20:12:34 GMT -5
I don't discuss it unless they ask. I use 4 vets (none are affiliated). 2 are all for it.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Nov 10, 2011 20:15:22 GMT -5
If the other 2 ever tell me anything my response will be this: "okay, I suppose that when my ferret is diagnosed with insulinoma you will provide free vet care and medications since I followed your advice and fed kibble?". That will shut them up.
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Post by nancyl on Nov 10, 2011 20:51:18 GMT -5
Mine thinks it's great. Of course, it wouldn't matter to me whether she liked it or not. I'd just look for another vet. Pretty much everything this vet knows about ferrets I've taught her or forced her to learn. She's a darn good ferret vet now. When we started on this journey together she was fair. She'll tell you that herself.
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Post by Heather on Nov 10, 2011 22:45:20 GMT -5
My present vet wasn't happy about it, when I first came there. She told me she thought it was a dangerous practice, not only for my ferrets but for me too. I told her I had no intention of changing what I fed my guys and what we were discussing had nothing to do with my wee ones diet (my little one was dying from late stage adrenal complications). After seeing and treating a number of my guys, even the very sick ones and the shape they were compared to the kibble fed ferrets in her practice...she decided that perhaps when done correctly that this was indeed an optimum method of feeding a carnivore. We had a number of discussions about diet and the overall health that it creates. I didn't realize how much her point of view had changed, until I got a call from a lady who wanted advice about feeding her baby ferret raw and prey....the person who had sent her...my vet Do not get angry, don't bring it up if it's not brought up (most good vets will ask what you're feeding, so it will probably come into the conversation). Most of all don't let them rattle you. You know as much or more than they do about nutrition. Be firm but don't be confrontational. Good luck ciao
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Post by nancyl on Nov 10, 2011 23:26:01 GMT -5
If they're willing to keep even a slightly open mind they'll see the difference that "real" food makes. The two kits that I just got are not the only ferrets I have from Joan. The vet has seen the difference in those 2 (whole hob and spayed jill) as compared to the multitude of health issues in the early neuters she sees. Roddy and Zoe have convinced her the diet is a major cause of improved health and she does now try to convince new owners to feed raw. I don't think it takes all that often but she tries. She's also asked me if I had any objection to her referring clients for advice. She has also mentioned trying to organize some short seminar/teaching sessions at the office if I could come in and talk. So far, that hasn't happened but I will pack up some kids to take in so people can see what real ferrets look like.
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Post by Heather on Nov 10, 2011 23:28:25 GMT -5
Congratulations, that's fantastic. Raw feeding we will prove our point one vet at a time ;D ciao
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Post by goingpostal on Nov 11, 2011 0:59:31 GMT -5
Thankfully the 3 different vets my ferrets have seen were all fine with it, the only ones to even question it was a e-vet and they were just making sure I wasn't feeding them veggies and stuff, I've brought ferrets into the vet overnight with feeder mice for food and other than being grossed out they didn't care. Now my cat I've just said I feed "wet" food if asked, she does eat canned as well and she's obviously in great shape for a senior cat so they've never asked further but the vet we saw last time doesn't like kibble or dry foods for cats anyways.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2011 2:07:41 GMT -5
I've seen two different vets. Three vet nurses gathered around me and the three ferrets I took into the clinic and told me how horrible they were. We left The vet I now see is great! I can tell they are not 100% supportive about raw feeding but they simply drop the subject.
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Post by dook2dook on Nov 11, 2011 3:20:39 GMT -5
I don't feed raw but the general reaction I get from the staff is great. The vet nurses love him, well most of them do although they really don't have any idea about ferrets. The vet that sees Salem is really nice he only has moderate ferret knowledge
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2011 8:00:59 GMT -5
Our Vet is a former breeder. He wasn't supportive, but he wasn't not supportive either. He recommended Mizuni (?), said that's what he used, and sort of left it at that. He did mention raw feeding was hard to balance (from a work standpoint, like, I will have to work to make sure it's balanced). I got the overall impression he didn't approve but he didn't actually say anything negative. At the most he was wishy-washy. Loki was on straight kibbles at our last visit tho, with just chicken livers for treats. My girlfriend was over yesterday, she's a vet tech and hated ferrets b/c when they would come into her clinic they were bitey, mean, and smelled horrid. She snuggled Loki all day and kept exclaiming how much he didn't smell, he's got a stale sort of corn-chippiness to him. She left loving ferrets, open to a raw diet (I showed her my book ) and wanting one for herself LOL. ~Kelli
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Post by miamiferret2 on Nov 11, 2011 8:25:07 GMT -5
One of my vets actually got really excited when I told him I fed raw. I told him that I use a lot of commercial raw and his response was "I prefer to use fresh meat and organs from the grocery store"-- I d*mn near fell off my chair! I expected the salmonella lecture.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2011 8:44:34 GMT -5
My traditional vet was concerned - but not so much because of "food cooties". His biggest concern about raw diet is that, if done incorrectly, nutritional deficiencies can be a problem. He was not worried about me since he knew I would b very diligent with providing enough variety, etc. Bu he felt it would be hard to recommend raw to all clients - especially those he did not know well.
Since my old vet retired, my new traditional vet said nothing - I have 4 geriatric brats that look and act more like 3-year olds....what could he say? ;D
All the holistic vets I've seen (and the university) recommend raw diet.
-jennifer
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2011 10:00:51 GMT -5
I'm taking my guys in to a new vet to get des implants....I wonder how he'll feel about raw...I wonder if there's any chance a vet who was against raw would refuse to give des implants because of that???
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