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Post by sasha28 on Jan 5, 2010 17:04:12 GMT -5
Hello I have a male ferret, not castrated. I'm not sure about his exact age because he has another owner before he came to me and she doesn't know his exact age. All I know is that he is about 5 years old, possibly even older.
For approximately the last 3 months he has chronic vomiting. It started when we bought him food which turned out to be expired, and he's throw up a few hours after eating it. We only found out it was bad about two weeks after the vomiting started. He also then started refusing to eat.
We went to the vet and got him anti biotics which he was on for about two weeks. We also got him medical food by 'Hills'. The problem is that the treatment was supposed to last 3 weeks but we only did two because he seemed to be doing alot better.
Then two weeks after that he started throwing up again. So we started giving him the whole list of meds as in the beginning but he didn't get better.
So we went back. This time the doctor changed one of the antibiotics and kept on giving him what we did before. However he had a bad reaction the most of the meds and would spit them out and would even throw up right after receiving one of the antibiotics. It came to the point that when he saw the syringe in my hand and my mum held him the way we do when we give him the meds, he immediately threw up.
We tried to keep giving him the meds but it became impossible. He lost a lot of weight since he started puking again. He got an ultra sound and xray and everything seems fine. Hes extremely week and barely eats anything, and if he does he vomits a very short time after that.
For the past to days we have been trying our regular vet (the one that deals with our dogs and cat). Yesterday he gave him some liquid IV and injected him with an antibiotic and steroids. He gave us some to give him at home. Today he gave him another IV, steroids, antibiotic and vitamins. He has been sleeping all day and sometimes wakes up and throws up foam. He isn't as lively and barely eats.
I have no idea what to do because the vet which specializes in ferrets insists on giving him antibiotics orally, but after over 2 months of antibiotics his stomach must be destroyed. The regular vet might not be an expert but seems to agree with more natural methods. (like trying to feed him so rice water/goo)
By the way he also claws at his mouth when he has these puking episodes. Id really like so suggestions as to why he does this.
Sorry for the long post but I desperately need help!
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jan 5, 2010 21:01:27 GMT -5
Hi, I'm so sorry to read your story - this is very sad. What kind of food were you feeding that turned out to be bad?
- Do you know the food was bad/spoiled? Or perhaps just expired? - was it kibble? - did it contain grains? - what was the brand & can you check for any recalls on the product?
Not all expired food is spoiled. It's possible that your ferret's problem is not related to bad food. There are quite a few problems ferrets can develop that result in the chronic vomiting. I'm at work right now, and I need to get home. I will post more late this evening.
-jennifer
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 5, 2010 23:18:58 GMT -5
It almost sounds like it could be ulcers, as well. Pawing at the mouth can indicate nausea, and if his tummy is sore from the ulcers, it would cause him to vomit. I really think the best thing you can do for him is find a ferret knowledgable vet to start with. They'll catch a lot of things regular vets can miss.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jan 6, 2010 0:23:02 GMT -5
Hi,
I've been thinking that you might want to post your story on the Ferret Health List. You can search for this with Google. Some vets read the FHL posts, so they may have some good recommendations on nutritional soups.
I re-read your message, and the pawing at the mouth is due to nausea/stomach pain.
I don't know much about spoiled or bad food, but with kibble, one of the more common issues is mold or fungus in the corn or grains that are used. Mold, fungal, and bacterial activities result in substances called aflatoxins, which can cause permanent kidney damage. A lot of food poisoning situations are more dangerous due to the toxins that get created rather than from the bacteria/fungus/mold itself. The toxinsplace a lot of stress on the kidneys and liver, which are trying to get rid of toxins and wastes.
Has any bloodwork been performed? Have any stool samples been checked for bacterial overgrowth and parasites?
Blood work could indicate stress on the kidneys, or liver. It could indicate infection, anemia (possible internal bleeding) or other disease as well.
I'll list a few things that can cause nausea and vomitting in ferrets: * Intestinal Blockage or foreign object in the gut * Pancreatic issues * Parasites * Food allergy * Toxins/poisoning * Ulcers * Bacterial infection in the gut * Cancers * MegaEsophagus * and more
* intestinal blockage- obstructions can move around in the stomach and/or intestines. They can move into a less critical area such that symptoms resolve temporarily. Obstructions do not always show up on x-rays. They can be difficult to identify.
* Ulcers - ulcers can cause vomitting and stomach pain. Ulcers are commonly found with helicobacter bacterial infections in the stomach. Bad stomach ulcers usually result in dark or black, tarry stools. The dark color is digested blood that comes from the stomach.
* Mega-esophagus is a permanent enlargement of the esophagus that results in the inability to swallow. Was the xray performed with a barium swallow or some thing that might help show the digestive path through the system? If not, here is way to test for possible inability to swallow. If your ferret can keep food down better when his while he's held in an upright position rather than in a horizontal standing position, this suggests that he may not be able to swallow.
Since your ferret is vomitting, he may not be getting enough protien. You may want to feed him a thin soup made with hydrolyzed whitefish (SeaCure is a good product). Hydrolyzed whitefish is one of the the most absorabable form of protiens available - it requires very little engery to absorb the nutrition from it. I also recommend Oxbow Carnivore Care. You can also try turkey or chicken baby food (second stage with no vegetables). You can even add a little Ensure (the white flavor - i think its vanilla) to the soup. It has a lot of nutrition that is easily absorbed. Yes, it is sweet with sugar. But when aferret is very sick, a little sugar is better than allowin the ferret to become completely run down and dehydrated. I do not recommend feeding raw food at this point in time unless your ferret has been fully transitioned to a raw diet for at least 6 motnths.
If you ferret has been on anibiotics for a long time, you may want to try some probiotics and also some digestive enymes (such as vetzimes II)
There are some things that can be used to coat the stomach. Carafate is used to coat the stomach for ulcers. It may be a perscription drug - I'm not sure. Slippery elm bark also has a coating and anti-inflammatory effect on the stomach and intestines.
Where are you located? perhaps someone on this web site or another website might know of a good ferret vet in your area. You 'll probably need some more diagnostics to figure out exactly what is going on.
I'm sending "good thoughts and "ferret prayers" to you and your little boy. Please let us know if you have any more questions.
-jennifer
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Post by Heather on Jan 6, 2010 0:50:44 GMT -5
I read your post on ferrethealth. Might I add to all the wonderful advice you've already received that perhaps for right now to get some chicken baby food (just meat) and get some "carnivore care"(Jennifer suggested this product) I've rescued more ferrets with this than any other food or food combination. The bile that he's bringing up is the result of an empty stomach. Medicines should never be given on an empty stomach. He's vomiting because his tummy is empty, and he's feeling nauseaus (pawing at his mouth) because (a) his stomach is empty and or (b) he has an ulcer. He needs food. You will probably have to syringe it in. He will probably fight you but that food will help him get the strength to fight whatever is the problem. An ulcer often takes longer than a month to heal, so make sure you complete whatever medication you've been given. Please keep us posted. I'm in total agreement with sherrylynne and Jennifer. The most important thing you can do now is to try and syringe food in every couple of hours. Good luck, I've lit a healing candle for your little boy. ciao
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Post by sasha28 on Jan 6, 2010 2:51:01 GMT -5
The food he was on before was DUO ferret by prestige. When we got to the vet she basically said this food was crap. I live in Israel so we don't have much variety or knowledge here. There are only 2 brands that sell ferret food here and both are pretty crappy. Right now he's on Royla Canin's recovery which he eats with appetite but throws up a little later. It seems he can't keep anything down, not even water. Its morning now so Ill be going to the vet soon for some more liquids. He's been throwing up quite a lot during the night. He has had blood work done last time we were at the hospital and the results were totally fine. Haven't checked his poop for anything but it isnt bloody or anything.
BTW I have posted on the Yahoo groups thing but I don't know if the message has been approved yet or not. Can't seem to figure this out.
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Post by sasha28 on Jan 6, 2010 3:14:57 GMT -5
Just found the list of meds he was on. Right now we stopped giving him anything orally, only injections. But I dont know what meds are in those.
Synulox/Changed to Klacid (clarithromycin) Flagyl Famotidine Socrolfate
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 6, 2010 19:52:05 GMT -5
Can you get meat only baby food in jars at the store? That, and a feeding syringe from the vet, or a syringe without the needle from the pharmacy. You can take up a little bit of the baby food mixed with a bit of water, and syringe feed him. He's not keeping down the meds or the water because he's feeling sick to his stomach because of no food in there. Here's a video of me feeding one of mine some ground meat. This will show you how to hold your's for syringe feeding as well. I've got him on his back, with his bum tucked between my upper arm and body, and keep his head/shoulders elevated a bit: Put the syringe sideways across his mouth, and just squirt a little bit at a time in. Do that every two to three hours. He will fight you, but try to get at least a teaspoon full into him at a time.
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Post by sasha28 on Jan 11, 2010 18:45:22 GMT -5
Update.
I'm sorry for disappearing for a few days but I have been absolutely exhausted from spending my entire time at the vet clinic. Since I last posted I have been going there to get him liquids and his now regular shots of steroids, antibiotics and vitamins. I'm not sure if he's doing better tho. His temperature has luckily gone up and he is a little more lively but still doesn't much. There is a new issue that has appeared and Id really like some information. Since the vet gave him some med against vomiting, he has been doing this weird thing where he kind of fills his mouth with saliva and moves it between his teeth. Now that has cause his stomach to fill with this saliva which his now full of air. He seems to be chocking on it and having a hard time breathing. Sometimes he is able to throw it up and it appears to look like white foam. When we give him some famotidine this thing stops for a couple of hours but then starts again. And its horrible to watch him having difficulty breathing. It slightly resembles a person who has been sick and has lungs full of mucus and a cough and kind of choke on the mucus when they're not able to fully cough it out. I should mention that after the anti puking shot he got I insisted that the doctor doesn't give him that anymore so the fuzzy only got it once. By the way he has also vomited today and there seemed to be some blood in there so I'm thinking it must be an ulcer. Is there somewhere I can press to make him throw up?
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Post by Heather on Jan 12, 2010 1:14:52 GMT -5
Please, don't press anywhere....you don't know what type of damage you could cause. Ruptured spleen....you name it so please don't squish the ferret Ulcers have to be treated with antibiotics. He's he still on injectibles or is he now on oral meds too. He needs to get some food into his tummy and he needs something to settle his stomach so that he can eat. The anti nausea med (injected) isn't going to help him if he has ulcers. He won't feel nauseaus but it then hurts to eat, and this starts the whole thing over again. My Loki is on various meds for renal failure but he has to have sulcrate and then 1/2 hr later he has to have his food then he gets his meds. It's the only way that he can keep food down. Today was a really good day, he actually ate food on his own (other than mice) for the first time since Sept I was so happy for my little guy. Have you had blood work done on your little one? xray? or ultrasound? These things can help you find clues as to what's wrong with your little one. I'm sorry that I'm not much help, perhaps Jennifer can offer more insight if she pops in here. ciao
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Post by sasha28 on Jan 12, 2010 14:43:32 GMT -5
He had a barium xray thingy done. 15 min after he ate the thing, the xray showed that the thing was half way to the stomach. 30 min after he ate the thing, it was in the same place. Then about 2 hours later, about half was in the same place and the other half in the stomach.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jan 13, 2010 10:24:09 GMT -5
Hi, It sounds like your ferret may have megaesophagus. Here is a link with some information. miamiferret.org/megaesophagus.htm I have also heard that essiac can help ferrets that have this condition, but I don't know how reliable this information may be. -jennifer
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Post by Lynxie on Jan 13, 2010 12:35:58 GMT -5
Ooph, if it's megaesophagus that would stink. My mom's dog Casey has megaesophagus, and she has to be on all kinds of ridiculous drugs to even be able to eat. I don't know if it's similar in ferrets, but I know it was nothing but difficulty with Casey. We weren't even sure she was gonna survive it for a while there.
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