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Post by Sherry on Aug 21, 2011 21:50:02 GMT -5
So- how are they doing? Taking the raw puree in the baby food ok yet?
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Post by ferretfreke on Aug 22, 2011 23:16:09 GMT -5
They are up to a few spoonfuls of raw puree in the chicken or turkey baby food. It was slow going for a while, but we are moving forward now. Had to work with them again with just a teeny bit of raw puree in it. Not close to half and half yet, but we will get there.
How often are you wanting me to check in? I don't have a lot to report at times.
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Post by Sherry on Aug 23, 2011 9:21:07 GMT -5
Once a week would be good  That way, I don't wind up vaulting the thread  Once they are on all raw puree, start adding in tiny bits of meat. |
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Post by Sherry on Sept 5, 2011 21:02:24 GMT -5
So how are they doing?
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Post by ferretfreke on Sept 6, 2011 23:16:19 GMT -5
Well I went out of town for a bit and came home and Iris had lost 6 oz and was pretty lethargic. I didn't have my pet sitter do any soup just to make it easier on her. I have quite a lot for a pet sitter to take care of. So I wanted to go as easy on her as possible. Not sure if it was due to that or because Anya's picking on her is taking it's toll. I let Iris out of the cage by herself and she actually played for a bit so I'm suspecting it is more the latter, but maybe a combo of both. Anya just randomly strikes at her. Iris seemed to be handling it well so I was hoping they would eventually work things out. I am separating them to see if Iris improves. I can't see anything obviously wrong with her. She has eaten well since I have been home and her stools are normal. No vomiting, weakness, or anything like that. I had them up to a 50/50 mix of soup and raw before I left. Not sure what I'm going to do with Iris as far as the raw goes while I see if she improves. I have just offered her chicken baby food since coming back home since I was out of ground turkey. What is your opinion? I'm definitely going to keep going with Anya and pick up some ground turkey tomorrow.
Sorry I didn't let you know I was going out of town. It was a bit crazy before I left. Then I didn't have great internet access while gone.
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Post by Sherry on Sept 7, 2011 9:46:16 GMT -5
Could the lethargy have been due simply to your being gone? Some ferrets don't do well with that. Or she could have had a problem with the dietary change.
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Post by ferretfreke on Sept 8, 2011 0:09:48 GMT -5
She has never cared in the past about me leaving her. She seems more relaxed and brighter since seperating her from Anya. She didn't eat especially well today, so I dunno. I feel like she should go to the vets, but I am dirt poor.
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Post by Sherry on Sept 8, 2011 8:59:40 GMT -5
I know that feeling only too well  Ok, since she's doing better separated from Anya, that might be how it has to be. How old is she again, and could it be adrenal related? |
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Post by ferretfreke on Sept 8, 2011 19:26:51 GMT -5
Iris is looking so much better today. She ate really well and was climbing the cage when I got home. She has gained back 2 ounces also. She does have adrenal disease that is being managed via melatonin implant. She responded really well to it. Hair grew back well. Not sure exactly how old she is since she was a street ferret, but I estimate 4 or 5 years. I only had to go on how playful she was when I got her cus her teeth were horrendous and she didn't act as old as her teeth looked.
I'm bummed I have to keep those two separate. Poor girl is just picked on by any other ferrets I have had her around aside from her original cage mate.
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Post by Sherry on Sept 8, 2011 19:28:58 GMT -5
Sounds like my poor Mr. Frodo  He'd love to have a buddy full time, but I have to mix it up between when HE gets to play with Emily and Suki, and when Willow does, because she tears him up pretty good. And he won't fight back, either. |
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Post by Sherry on Sept 23, 2011 23:48:11 GMT -5
So- how are they coming along?
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Post by Sherry on Sept 28, 2011 14:48:38 GMT -5
Updates?
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Post by ferretfreke on Oct 11, 2011 23:09:35 GMT -5
Well the updates are not good. Iris is dead (I don't believe in sugar coating it). She had cancer and was euthanized. I'm almost certain it had nothing to do with Anya now, but the cancer to why she just quit eating and dropped weight. Her mass was high up in her abdomen and that was why I was unable to feel it upon palpation until it was very large. She was having difficulty defecating and was poofing even probably from the straining. It was very hard to let her go since she was still so bright, but I felt quality of life was diminished enough to have to make the awful decision.
I apologize that I have not updated in so long. Three of my six ferrets have had serious issues all at once and I have felt like pulling my hair out. Half of Billybob's face swelled up causing his eye to bulge. We are suspecting a retrobulbular abscess (abscess behind the eye), but we cannot rule out a tumor to be the cause and so its a wait and see thing. He may have to have surgery to drain it, but first we are doing an antibiotic trial. Alitasha does have insulinoma and it's a very bad case. Found her comatose yesterday. I have been struggling to get her to eat and regulate her bg. And then the whole thing with Iris. Was having to work with her to keep her eating before she died.
Anyways, so with all that working with Anya has not happened a whole lot. I am still giving her soups or baby foods and she will eat several different meats now that way. So that is good I guess. I'm very sorry that I'm a poor student right now, but I am a little overwhelmed and of course sad about my Iris.
I do need advice on how to deal with Alitasha, but I can post a thread about it. She's been on raw/whole prey for several years now (just in case you dont remember) and not completely sure how I have to change how I feed her other than making sure she has food available to her at all times. I am planning on having surgery done to remove the insulinomas, if possible, so she has a better chance of quality of life for longer.
Hope all is well with you and your fuzzies.
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Post by ferretfreke on Oct 11, 2011 23:21:21 GMT -5
Also my new plan with Anya is, once I get her straight on the raw ground meat and completely off kibble I am going to put her with my group. My other 4 don't like ground meat and so they won't eat all her food and I figure that way I can keep working with her by adding chunks of meat and so on and she will constantly be exposed to the things they eat and maybe it will go more smoothly.
What do you think of that idea? She really is rather accepting of new meats I introduce to her.
I know you mainly signed on to be my mentor for Iris and with my poor updating, if you want to drop me that's ok. I don't think Anya will be terribly difficult.
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Post by Sherry on Oct 12, 2011 9:02:12 GMT -5
Of course we'll carry on! I am so very sorry not only about your poor Iris, but with what's happening with the others! That's a lot to have to deal with at one time.
Okay, for Alitisha, it might be an idea to introduce her to freeze dried if she'll eat it. I'm pretty sure, though, that Heather's Fungo still just eats the raw/whole prey. She leaves it in the cage. I'll admit- although I've helped switch insulinomic ferrets, generally kibble has remained a part of the diet, or else the freeze dried in it's place. For her, you may be better to post in the medical area.
With putting Anya in with the others- great idea! That way she'll have someone else to snuggle with, and learn how to eat raw properly. They do follow by example.
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