**Some of you may have read this at FHL, please be patient and or skip if
you have already seen this.  I feel it is VERY important for new ferret
owners or for owners who have no idea what the impact of litter has on
our ferrets.**
 
I can and will testify that clumping litters regardless of thier makers
aren't healthy on ferrets at all!
 
My parents bought four fuzzies last summer.  Last fall my sister moved
from Oregon to Missouri and brought the four fuzzies for me to enjoy and
keep as my own.  Well at that time they were on clumping litter.  I didn't
think anything about it.  *sigh* (mostly didn't think anything of it due
to 20 years ago using dust litter and no troubles)
 
I think in January I had one of my fuzzies 'clyde' fall ill suddenly.
He was in convulsions, and soooooo off balance it wasn't even funny!
I called the oncall vet who said try syrup, so I did.  No avail :(  I
called back, she said try force feeding him syrup mixed with water and
can food.  *shrug* ok I will do that.  Vets initial thought was low BG.
 
For about 5 min after givin him that he responded ok, still unable to walk
clearly.  I would put him down every now and again just to see how he is
doing.  Finally I couldn't handle it anymore.  I went to pick him up and
he bit me due to disorientation.
 
Soon he lost control of his bowels.  They were 'black' and thick, goey and
after awhile runny as all get out.  In total dispair and so full of tears
I called my emergency vet again..... *sigh* she said bring him in.  I was
holding Clyde and finally noticed that he was tryin to 'pass something'
thru his stool.  However unable to, he was crying, yes with tears, because
it hurt him so bad.  How did I noticed?  I looked down at his anus and
seen him 'pushing'.
 
Ok, so we get to the vet.... she does xray of him, nothing ... not one
thing.  His abdomen is full of fluid :(   She says 'we will hold him
overnite'.  All I could do was pray he would be gone soon due to his pain
and mine just in the experience.  (the fluid in my opinion was due to his
intestines being torn by what ever was blocking him.  The vet had me push
liquids and syrup)
 
Next morning, I get a call..... he didn't make it.  I went to pick him up
and brought him home for his burial.
 
The emergency vet kept calling insisting that they do 'rabies' exam
to make sure he wasn't ill.  Why did they want to do that?  cause he bit
me :(  I told her he was 'perfectly healthy' only that he couldn't pass
what was there to pass.
 
OH and his favorite thing was stuffed animals.  He would pack them around,
start diggin at them until he had them unstuffed.  He would do this for
hours and hours.  So thinkin that was the cause I tossed all his toys :(
 
Finally I gave into the emergency vet and took 'clyde' in.  So hard to dig
up a loved one to have an 'rabid' test done.  Hard because they wanted me
to bring him back home 'headless' to bury.  Told them heck no!  Either
they dispose or they don't get.  I couldn't bring home my friend
'headless'  That isn't proper.
 
In the end they did an autopsy as well.  Found it was 'clumping litter' he
was trying to pass.  And yes that it had torn different areas in his
intestine as it was tryin to pass.  There were no other things found in
blockage or any other ill health concerns.  It was totally caused from
clumping litter.  That was thier only find, in which couldn't be seen on
the xrays.
 
a month goes by, in the meantime we have changed over the litter to paper
chips.  The fuzzies hate that litter big time and will do anything to
avoid using it!  Even go as far as sleeping in it!  Go figure.
 
Ok....
Sooo now I notice 'tigger' not using the box or outletting anything for a
day, now two days, workin on third day.  I went into panic attack big
time, and thought NO way was this happening again to me.
 
I went and got some ferretone (as I had not yet heard of laxative for
ferrets) and fed and fed that stuff to him like no tomorrow.  *good thing
he liked(s) it.  Later that nite when we were cleanin out thier house, we
noticed some 'clump litter' in a corner.  (we had previously cleaned house
out and washed everything thoroughly) So when I seen that I was so
thankful for the ferretone, as well as changin litter when I did.  And
for noticing signs of blockage.  As well I am thankfull that the ferretone
had the oil base in which to help the block pass through safely and
comfortably with out causing side effects to his GI tract.
 
Just let me tell you..... everyone....... stay away from any kind of DUST
or CLUMPING litters!  Dust is allergic and gets in lungs, which can cause
pnemonia, and clumping blocks and kills!
 
Use the paper litter chips, cause even if it gets soggy from urine, at
least they can't inhale it or eat it when playing.
 
Yvonne
 
BE safe and keep our pets Healthy and Happy!  Please pass this on to
anyone you know who may be using the dust or clumping litters for thier
pets, regardless if small amounts or large amounts.  All it takes is TIME
before it hurts our pets.  Took 6 months for the clumping litter to start
attacking the GI tract in mine.
 
I'm from Columbia Missouri, have 3 ferrets, and one passive vet in
treating.  If you know of a more aggressive vet who is not so far away,
please oh please let me know!  OH and I am seekin to adopt another.  But
can't advertise in town, as it is still illegal in the city limits of
columbia.
 
=====
If you are gonna DREAM, dream BIG!  Our thoughts do manifest!
[Posted in FML issue 3741]