Our vet just called with the results from Sprout's biopsies.

The Cyst was actually a Lymph node.

Basically he had ECE which seems to be gone now, no signs of it but it
has caused a lot of scarring in his intestines.

He said young ferrets tend to get ECE and get over it fairly quickly,
older ferrets get it and it it hangs on and causes a lot scarring. The
ferret needs to get a lot of supportive care. Force feedings and give
them antibiotics, pepcid, and pred.

When I think of force feeding I think of getting the food (duck soup,
chicken baby food, etc) and putting it into a syringe, scuffing the
ferret and squeeze it into the back of their throat. This seems a lot
like torture, I know it isn't but it feels like it.

Since Sprout has not stopped eating completely can this force feeding
take the shape of giving him chicken baby food (if he'll eat it) three
times a day?

Sprout usually weighs about 2 lbs 5 ounces. He went down to 1 lbs 13
1/2 ounces before surgery. Now 7 days after surgery he is at 2 lbs
even. He still moves around but is less active than he usually is, he
stretches and by the way he acts it looks like he is feeling good. He
still eats but I'm not sure how much he is eating. We try to give all
our ferrets some duck soup every couple months or so to get them used
to it so when they do get sick they will eat it. Sprout seemed to like
the duck soup then more than all the rest. He usually would be the last
one to leave the dish and a lot of time it was because there wasn't
much if any duck soup left. Now he'll eat it for about 20 - 30 seconds
and then goes and lays down or goes to explore.

What would you recommend? Scruff and syringe (duck soup or chicken baby
food, duck soup or chicken baby food without syringing? Other ideas?

The only time we've had a ferret who wasn't eating, were ferrets who
were trying to cross the bridge and nothing seemed to help them. So
when it comes to force feeding I really have no idea (well not much of
one) what to do and how to do it. I would appreciate any advice I can
get.

Sprout is still alert and sweet as always and he is eating kibble on
his own but I'm not sure if it is enough.

Do we keep checking his weight and if it starts to go down force feed
him.

Thank you

Mike

[Posted in FML 6631]