Hi, Mike,

On 6/25/10, Mike <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>I've added ensure to his pureed turkey and he is more willing to
>eat it.

It's certainly good that Sprout is more willing to eat the food.
Unfortunately adding Ensure may be a poor choice. See:
<http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0008&L=ferret-search&P=R32904>

>I'm looking into ways to improve its nutritional value. Would adding
>a/d to the pureed turkey help?

I would make Bob Church's Gravy with turkey instead of chicken.  It
really is NOT hard to do and it provides the complete nutrition a
recovering ferret needs.  See:
<http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind9903&L=ferret-search&P=R32433>

Easiest method for preparation (again):
http://www.trifl.org/pressuregravy.shtml
Basic recipe:
<http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind9812&L=ferret-search&P=R42036>

You can make one big batch, freeze most of it in small plastic
containers and thaw as needed.  That makes keeping a ready supply for
Sprout really easy.

Once again, this is something a number of excellent, experienced
ferret vets I have dealt with do recommend.

>Will giving him Nutri-Cal?  If so how much?

Nutrical is sweet and full of empty calories.  It will put weight on a
skinny ferret, though, and does contain vitamins and other nutritional
supplements which are good.  Bob Church's Gravy recipe includes a full
tube of Nutrical per whole chicken.  If you use turkey you should
adjust the amount for the weight of the bird you are cooking.

>Also thank you to the person who put forward the idea that maybe it
>was time to help him over the bridge. I know it could not have been
>easy to bring up that idea.

If he is more alert, eating more on his own, and running around more it
sounds like he may rebound yet. There comes a time in every ferret's
life where we may have to love them enough to let them go but based
on this latest e-mail it doesn't sound like that time has arrived for
Sprout.

I don't mean to be a pest and I realize this is the second time I raise
the idea of Bob Church's Gravy done with turkey or duck instead of
chicken but in my experience it really, truly does work. I have an
eight year old, a seven year old, and one that will be seven in a
couple of weeks who all agree and can't wait to get their gravy.

All the best,
Caity and the terrific trio
Ella, Zephyr and Chin Soon

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[Posted in FML 6740]