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sick?
Feb 26, 2011 17:37:59 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2011 17:37:59 GMT -5
so i think my baby is sick. the day after i take her to the vet as well. so after the vet we went to petsmart, which is where i think she might have picked something up. her nose was running this morning, and I'm pretty sure thats not normal. so i just gave her some soup, she didn't eat much, so i had to fight with her to get her to eat some. i think it's just a cold, so I'm not overly paranoid. i also have a question about sneezing and falling. i totally feel bad, because when i was picking belle up out of the hammock, and I'm not sure what happened exactly, because it happened so fast, but she landed on the floor, and then had an excessive sneezing fit(like over 10 times). is it normal if they hit something to sneeze? the fall wasn't that high, about half way up the first floor of the FN, and she seems fine, eating, drinking, playing.
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sick?
Feb 26, 2011 17:55:34 GMT -5
Post by miamiferret2 on Feb 26, 2011 17:55:34 GMT -5
She hit her nose when she fell to the floor and that is why she had a sneezing fit. Your ferret sounds like she may have caught a cold when you took her out. When you go to pet stores try not to put her face up to the cages. A lot of upper respiratory issues with animals at the pet stores. Kind of like kennel cough. Actually, the petco here uses the same exotic vet that I use for my ferrets and the #1 reason they bring their rabbits or ferrets in to see him is that they have upper respiratory issues. I found out because I noticed that on several occasions when I would bring my ferret in on Wednesday for his monthly lupron, I would see a petco employee in there with their uniform on. So I was nosy and asked the vet what was up with the petco employees. He said that they bring all their sick animals to him. I was very surprised that petco takes their animals to the vet when they are sick.
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sick?
Feb 26, 2011 17:57:39 GMT -5
Post by miamiferret2 on Feb 26, 2011 17:57:39 GMT -5
My bad, you wrote petsmart and I thought you wrote petco. Petsmart doesn't sell ferrets here. I think they sell rabbits, hamsters, etc.
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sick?
Feb 26, 2011 18:01:42 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2011 18:01:42 GMT -5
yup, petsmart doesn't sell ferrets here either, she wasn't around any other ferrets, just an ADORABLE boxer puppy. but it does seem like she has a cold. should i be doing anything for her? just try to get more soupie into her? should i separate them?
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sick?
Feb 26, 2011 18:12:32 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2011 18:12:32 GMT -5
Remember, ferret swap flu virus with people. She may have picked it up from just about anywhere. Treat her like a kid with the flu - plenty of fluids, lots of rest, warm blankets, etc.. Wash your hands a lot - NO KISSES, and separate her from other ferts. It's possible that when she gets better, you'll have gotten the flu from her (and may feel worse than she does) - and then you'll give it back to her since the darn thing mutated slightly. YES, we have done that in this household.
The biggest concern with flu in ferret (this is a respiratory thing) is making sure the lungs stay clear. If you hear wheezing/ congested coughing, it's time to go to the vet's immediately....antibiotics are in order since ferts can develop pneumonia rather easily.
Jennifer
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sick?
Feb 26, 2011 18:24:08 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2011 18:24:08 GMT -5
ok. thanks jennifer now im extra paranoid. i have an FN. is just separating the level enough? or should i separate them more? my baby is actually REALLY worrying me. whenever i open the doors her head would shoot up, now nothing. she actually looks sick and sad.
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sick?
Feb 26, 2011 21:04:55 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2011 21:04:55 GMT -5
so i made up some new soup, since i used the last cube of the old one. i used chicken, liver, four chicken hearts, about an ounce of pork fat, and an egg with shell. so i think the soup is good.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2011 21:19:01 GMT -5
I hope your little one feels better. It could just be a flu. I'd watch her stools, make sure she's getting plenty of water and food. If you see her condition starting to decline, I'd go in for a vet visit.
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sick?
Feb 26, 2011 22:06:07 GMT -5
Post by Sherry on Feb 26, 2011 22:06:07 GMT -5
Here's a quote from the other forum, from someone who'd dealt with the flu: Another good idea is to pick up one of those surgical masks at the drug store. It'll help a bit while you are in there with them cleaning litter, refilling water and food, etc. When I had the flu, all four of my furkids at the time got sick and I was so scared but it turned out alright in the end. Watch for symptoms and like you said supportive care like soup and pedialyte. Keep an eye on them and make sure they're eating..a few of mine went off their food and I was up around the clock doing syringe feedings. Some took it harder than others, just depends on the individual immune system. Also, if sniffles are involved, some ferret Rx or steam will help. My vet ended up giving me antibiotics to prevent a secondary infection as my kids got very, very congested (they were mouth breathing and i had to get ointment for two of the fours eyes because their eyes would seal shut with mucuous). Also pick up some antibacterial no water hand sanitizer at the drug store. Really comes in handy when you don't have time to run to the sink to wash up. Let them get a lot of rest, they're going to need it to get over it and that's okay just make sure their eating and pottying and getting fluids. Hang in there. Here's the pertinent thread: holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=medicine&action=post&thread=5950"e=57886&page=1
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sick?
Feb 27, 2011 9:14:38 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2011 9:14:38 GMT -5
thank sherry she looks better this morning. i just let them out for some run time, since she was looking restless. is it ok for me to let them out together? since i know they are bonded i don't want to much stress if they can't play together. i'm de thawing some soup now for her.
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sick?
Feb 27, 2011 10:54:19 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2011 10:54:19 GMT -5
If your ferret is feeling better, the worst part of being contagious has probably already over. Your ferret was probably most contagious before the symptoms even appeared. I don't thin a play session at this point in time would create any more of a risk than already exists. I would still keep them separate for sleeping if the are heavy cuddlers. My fert will sleep breathing directly into each others' faces - this would allow for hours of accumulating germs being blow right into to face, which may allow enough exposure to infect your other ferrets. -jennifer
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sick?
Feb 28, 2011 0:08:41 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2011 0:08:41 GMT -5
great to hear that she's feeling better!
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sick?
Feb 28, 2011 8:40:42 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2011 8:40:42 GMT -5
yup she is, i just let them out and she was dooking like crazy which she never really does. i guess just to let all that energy out. although i haven't really seen any new poops in her litter box, so i'm going to keep them separate for the next day or so. since all she's been getting is soup, could that be why? or the little to no poop? i'm not really worried about a blockage, as the vet just saw her before she got sick and didn't feel anything weird. but should be worried about a blockage?
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sick?
Feb 28, 2011 9:34:19 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2011 9:34:19 GMT -5
Whenever a ferret is NOT pooping, you need to worry about blockage. Not all blockages can be readily felt by the vet. An example of this one of my friends has a ferret that had a giant hairball in his stomach. the ferret kept getting infection in the digestive tract/diarrhea, weight loss etc...... My vet (now retired ) was finally able to feel the hairball that was causing all this misery by palpating the ferret up under the rib cage ... the hair ball was not showing up in x-ray, and normal palpation of the ferrets' stomach was actually pushing the hairball partially into the esophagus, so it could not be felt. The hairball was removed, and the ferret recovered. -jennifer
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sick?
Feb 28, 2011 20:54:48 GMT -5
Post by miamiferret2 on Feb 28, 2011 20:54:48 GMT -5
How long has she gone without pooping? If she is eating then she should be pooping ever 4 to 5 hours.
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