My ferret, Minky, has been having smelly, loose poops for quite awhile.
At first it was intermittent but has become more frequent. Even when
they're not loose they are smelly. She was first treated with
prednisolone, which seemed to help when it was given twice a day
(0.25ml). When it was tapered down it didn't work and at the same time
the vet who prescribed it went back to Australia. He had examined her
and tested stool and blood thought she probably had IBD and that she'd
need to use pred in a low dose probably for life. Another vet at the
practice prescribed amoxicillin, flagyl, & pepto bismal. The only thing
that seems to work in that group was the pepto bismal, which I was
using before I found a vet. Another vet there told me that pred was not
good to use on a regular basis because later when it might be needed
for worse diseases it wouldn't work. She said it would be better to
just treat her with pepto bismal for life. That seems crazy to me,
and we all know how much they love pepto bismal.

I have tried changing her diet with different kibbles, giving pumpkin
and eliminating chicken but nothing has worked. I am not too confident
with the other vets at the practice. I don't think they are very
experienced with ferrets.

Besides the diarrhea issue, does that stuff made by Marshalls Farms
that's supposed to deodorize their waste actually work? Does anyone
know what's in it?

If anyone has dealt with this problem successfully, please let me know.
I don't have Minky's medical history as she had been in three different
when I got her and at least 2 of them were bad.

Thanks.

[SS]

[Posted in FML 6753]