>I have an 8+ year old MF male.... He's been grinding his teeth off an
>on probably for a year now.  Has been treated for ulcers on numerous
>occasions.  Relief would be only for a few days....I've tried:
>
>Pepto Bismol
>Kayopectate
>Amoxi
>Carafate
>Pepcid AC
>Bland diet
>Ferret "Probiotics"
>He's had x-rays
>exploratory surgery
>On his second dose of Lupron (3 month doses) ...
 
Dear Amy,
 
With all of the things you have given this little guy, none of them will
effectively treat helicobacter.
 
Helicobacter is present in the stomachs of most ferrets.  It can cause
ulcers, which in turn pain and grinding their teeth.  It may surface
during a time of stress such as changing homes, following surgery, or
during an illness such as adrenal disese.
 
While some of the things you gave him helped for a while, helicobacter
becomes antibiotic resistant, and requires treatment with more than one
antibiotic to eliminate it, instead of quieting it for a while.
 
Please ask your vet to consider treating for helicobacter.  At the
shelter we have had very good results with the following treatment.
 
Carafate 10 to 15 minutes before every feeding.  Feed a soft food like
Gerber Chicken to be gentle on the stomach.
 
Biaxin and AmoxiDrops for 14 days.  You can find medication strengths and
dosages in a very good article by Dr. Williams at:
 
http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/ulcers.html
 
It is also possible your little guy has something other than helicobacter
bothering him.  I've seen tumors in the stomach and other things cause
grinding, also, but Helicobacter is by far the most common problem, and
treating with the Biaxin and Amoxi almost always clears the symptoms.
 
Good luck with your little guy,
Julie
[Posted in FML issue 4498]