Post by darzi on Oct 5, 2009 1:31:32 GMT -5
Hello, all! I'm new to the forum, but not to the idea and practice of raw feeding...but I'm here hoping to get some assistance and advice.
My name's Darzi, and I'm a proud animal mom to...far too many critters. I worked for a vet's office for several years, and I'm currently working my way through college for my DVM with a double specialty in ferrets and carnivore nutrition. I actually quit my job with the vet's office over something dealing with food: they wanted me to push their Science Diet kibble, and I didn't feel it was morally acceptable to do so when I knew that it wasn't good for the animals.
Long story short, I got most of my pets through the vet job and various rescue efforts...so a little introduction for them!
Wesley is my hefty 3 1/2-4 lb tubby champagne boy. I actually found him wandering in a Wal-Mart parking lot, dirty and scared. First time I ever touched him, he bit the crap out of me. He's much sweeter, now that he's calmed down, and is around 9 months old.
TeeBee is the tiniest one at right around a pound...she's a dark sable girl that I got from a fellow in Oklahoma City who said she was a biter who didn't like being held or having her nails trimmed. Come to find out, through a bit of nosiness, his 5 year old daughter was throwing her around and all of her back toes had been quicked to the toe when trimmed. No wonder...I'd bite, too. She's around a year or so, now, and still really skittish, but we're working on it.
Kurt is my sickly ol' man. He's a silvery sable and weighs around 2 1/2 lbs, but that varies a lot. I got him when someone dumped him on a local PetCo. The manager there knows me and called me to come see if I could take him. When I got there, he was in a cage and wouldn't eat. He weighed less than a pound, has a trauma cataract in one eye, and had hair missing from a huge burn mark down his back...not to mention fleas and an old hip injury. Insulinoma surgery and he's doing much better...he's adrenal, now, and is on Lupron for it, but you'd never know. He's around 6 or 7 years old.
Jack is the mischievous little chocolate sable guy that hasn't had any health issues, yet...knock on wood. He's around 3 lbs, about 4-5 years at this point, and is a healthy little butt. Let's hope it stays that way. I got him and Annie from a woman who was going to "let them outside" in Arkansas.
And, finally, Annie is my little 1 1/2 lb DEW with some silver guard hairs here and there. She's deaf and has a slight heart murmur, but other than that, no trouble yet. Knock on wood! I got her with Jack.
And that's the ferrets. I also have two dogs (Cash - a small, black, neurotic mutt and Lyra - a double merle deaf mini aussie) and two cats (silver tabby and orange tabby). All are rescues...I've not purchased any of the animals I own.
As far as food...well, that's another thread, I guess. Everyone's on a mixture of premium kibble and raw due to lack of freezer space, currently...except the ferrets. None of my guys will touch raw, no matter my tricks! They're on a mix of premium kibbles, meat baby food, and the occasional egg. Hopefully that'll change soon. I'm glad I found this place.
My name's Darzi, and I'm a proud animal mom to...far too many critters. I worked for a vet's office for several years, and I'm currently working my way through college for my DVM with a double specialty in ferrets and carnivore nutrition. I actually quit my job with the vet's office over something dealing with food: they wanted me to push their Science Diet kibble, and I didn't feel it was morally acceptable to do so when I knew that it wasn't good for the animals.
Long story short, I got most of my pets through the vet job and various rescue efforts...so a little introduction for them!
Wesley is my hefty 3 1/2-4 lb tubby champagne boy. I actually found him wandering in a Wal-Mart parking lot, dirty and scared. First time I ever touched him, he bit the crap out of me. He's much sweeter, now that he's calmed down, and is around 9 months old.
TeeBee is the tiniest one at right around a pound...she's a dark sable girl that I got from a fellow in Oklahoma City who said she was a biter who didn't like being held or having her nails trimmed. Come to find out, through a bit of nosiness, his 5 year old daughter was throwing her around and all of her back toes had been quicked to the toe when trimmed. No wonder...I'd bite, too. She's around a year or so, now, and still really skittish, but we're working on it.
Kurt is my sickly ol' man. He's a silvery sable and weighs around 2 1/2 lbs, but that varies a lot. I got him when someone dumped him on a local PetCo. The manager there knows me and called me to come see if I could take him. When I got there, he was in a cage and wouldn't eat. He weighed less than a pound, has a trauma cataract in one eye, and had hair missing from a huge burn mark down his back...not to mention fleas and an old hip injury. Insulinoma surgery and he's doing much better...he's adrenal, now, and is on Lupron for it, but you'd never know. He's around 6 or 7 years old.
Jack is the mischievous little chocolate sable guy that hasn't had any health issues, yet...knock on wood. He's around 3 lbs, about 4-5 years at this point, and is a healthy little butt. Let's hope it stays that way. I got him and Annie from a woman who was going to "let them outside" in Arkansas.
And, finally, Annie is my little 1 1/2 lb DEW with some silver guard hairs here and there. She's deaf and has a slight heart murmur, but other than that, no trouble yet. Knock on wood! I got her with Jack.
And that's the ferrets. I also have two dogs (Cash - a small, black, neurotic mutt and Lyra - a double merle deaf mini aussie) and two cats (silver tabby and orange tabby). All are rescues...I've not purchased any of the animals I own.
As far as food...well, that's another thread, I guess. Everyone's on a mixture of premium kibble and raw due to lack of freezer space, currently...except the ferrets. None of my guys will touch raw, no matter my tricks! They're on a mix of premium kibbles, meat baby food, and the occasional egg. Hopefully that'll change soon. I'm glad I found this place.
anyway, kudos to you for sticking with what's right, and for going for your DVM. If I ever get the guts to do such a thing I'd be specializing in ferrets too. 
). And good on ya for sticking to your guns about the food.
