Dear Nancy, Steve, and Marianna,....and the rest of you ferret people,
 
    I received all of your collective information regarding the force
feeding of a ferret who won't eat.  Allow me to address some issues and
fill you all in here.  First of all, to Marianna, I have to disagree with you
regarding your negative view of force feeding.  Ayla has had some major
surgery recently and simply won't eat.  Your point is well taken that force
feeding is definitely a nightmare for both Ayla and me and we both expend alot
of energy in the process.  However, Ayla has now lost an alarming amount of
weight.  She is quite literally skin and bones.  When I went to force feed
her last night I was sickened by her starved body.  She is a bald, walking rib
cage at this point with some skin stretched over it.  I can actually see and
feel every rib, her spine, and her protruding hip bones.  Seeing this, how
can I not force feed her?  If she won't eat...I must force it down her throat
for her own good.  Obviously, there must be something instinctive in animals
that causes them to not eat when they are sick...even though thats not the
best thing for them.  Animals (and people) don't always know what's good for
them.  For example, when you were a child, you probably didn't like the taste
of medicine.  But your parents and the doctor forced you to swallow it anyway
because you needed it.  This is how I view the force feeding of Ayla.  She
hates it and she probably  is becomming even more "standoffish" to me because
of these constant, hateful feeding sessions.  But her survival is the most
important at this point.  If she doesn't get some calories and nutrition...
she will die.  What is my alternative?????  To put her through the trauma of
bringing her to the vet so he can put a large I.V. needle into her meatless
body for 10-15 minutes to give her the calories and nutrition that she needs?
Well, on that note, I'll move on.   I tried the mixture that you and Steve
Crandall suggested last night.  (hard boiled egg yolk, some mush of Iams dry
cat food (her fav.food when she used to eat), and some Gerber baby food).
She swallowed a portion about the size of a large pea.  That was all I could
get her to eat.  The eyedropper (clipped) that I have won't work for this mushy
combo.  Soon I gave up and reverted back to the Sustical that I was giving
her previously....based on Nancy Hartman's recommendation.  She likes this
chocolate flavored liquid food, but again, she will only consume about 1/2
a teaspoon of the stuff.  That's when I revert to the force feeding.  I pumped
about 10 more eyedroppers of the nutrient-filled liquid into her.  She must
get something into her.
 
    Of course, this is only addressing the symptoms.  I don't know why
she won't eat!  It's been almost 4 weeks since the surgery.  Her body has
almost completely absorbed the sutures.  Her Prednesone level is down to a
quarter tablet every other day....a very low dose (I presume).  Any ideas??
Will her appetite ever return?  I'm starting to think at this point that she
will either regain her appetite within the month and fully recover....or she
will go the other way......
 
    On the positive side, Ayla is drinking fluids.  She consumes plenty
of water each day is urinating "normally".  She almost never puts out a stool
sample anymore.  I don't think I've changed her litter box in a month.
 
HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP.........
 
Well, on that note, I'll sign off.  Any ideas/suggestions are appreciated.
All of you have really been great.  If you want to find a kind human...look
for one who owns a ferret!
 
--Tyler Greenberg
[log in to unmask]
Sakura Global Capital, Inc. by day
and discrete PreMed Student by Night.
Shhhhhh!
 
[Posted in FML issue 0436]