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> Subject: Listless female is getting very thin. Need Advice
 
Try Sustacal (from drug stores -- comes in a can), it is very good for
sick ferrets.  It tastes like a milkshake and they usually love it.
 
Also, Nutrical or Nutristat from your vet or a pet store is a good
high calorie paste that they usually love.
 
If you can, try and get her to drink some gatorade.  If she's not
eating properly she needs the electrolytes.
 
If she is dehydrated (firmly pinch the skin on the back of her neck,
if it doesn't bounce right back then she's dehydrated -- use your other
ferret to see what it should look like) then take her to the vet
*IMMEDIATELY*.  A dehydrated ferret will die very quickly.
 
It sounds like she had a false pregnancy, that's pretty common.  I
don't know why she would be so sick, though.  (I'm not a breeder,
and don't claim to know very much about reproductive diseases)  Here
are some ideas:
 
Estrogen induced anemia - when ferrets false they go right back into
heat as soon as their body figures out they aren't really pregnant.
Does she still look like she's in heat?  (is her vulva still
enlarged?)
 
Mastitis - are her teats black?
 
Vaginal infection - Any discharge?
 
Let's not rule out non-reproductive causes, does she have any other
symptoms?  diarrhea?  vomiting?  swollen rectum?  are you sure she's
defecating, maybe it's an intestinal blockage?  (pick up some
laxative while you're out -- Laxastat, Laxatone, Petromalt, or
any other paste-like hairball remedy.  I don't think it will hurt her,
it doesn't cause dehydration like diarrhea, it only lubricates
everything.)
 
If she's showing any other signs, give me a call at (215) 255-4436,
maybe we can figure it out before she gets any worse.
 
- Nancy
 
Nancy Hartman                     CIS graduate student
[log in to unmask]                  U. of Delaware
        President and founder, Delaware Valley Ferret Club
          Owner of Percy, Bree, & Popcorn, the ferrets
 
[Posted in FML issue 0394]