Hi all!!  I'm writing to get some input on a disturbing problem.  My
ferret, Pete (3 year old albino), has been losing lots of weight.  It began
last winter when I was in the hospital extendedly.  I first thought that he
was simply depressed because I had been away for a couple of months (the
weight loss was minimal but noticable).  As weeks went by, I noticed that
he was becoming rather boney.  This incurred a trip to the doctor.  I
was/am a little concerned that he may be in the first stages of insulinoma,
so I had him checked.  His blood sugar was normal and he seemed, in all
other ways, healthy.  My vet suggested that maybe he needed to be put on a
specialized protein diet.  She said that sometimes as ferret's age their
bodies begin to utilize the protein differently.(?) We tried several
different foods and weighed him weekly until he showed weight gain.
Finally, we kept him on KenVet Specialized Protein Lamb & Rice cat food.
He had gained nearly 3/4 pound during the week he was on it (put him up to
about 2.4 pounds).  I have been using this food ever since, but recently he
has started losing weight again and is again quite boney.  Another
disturbing thing happened the other night.  We were sleeping (he sleeps on
my chest at night) and I woke because he was crying.  I had only heard him
cry/moan like that one time before when he was hurting quite badly.  I woke
him up and he seemed fine.  I scratched him on the head and put him in the
floor so that he could go get a drink of water and a little food.  It was
then that I noticed that he had drooled all over me.  I was soaked!  He has
never, to my knowledge, done this before.  I batted around the idea that he
must have just had a ferretmare because he stayed up for a while playing
and making racket.  Still, I am _so_ worried about him.  He has always been
quite large and healthy, and now he seems so fragile.  Note that he does
sleep a little more than what I would say normal, but he still plays quite
energetically in the morning and in the evening.  I have him scheduled to
go to the vet Monday morning, but would appreciate any and all info.  that
any of you can give me (Dr.  Williams - hint, hint).
 
My private e-mail address is:     [log in to unmask]
 
Thanks in advance!
 
cj & pete
 
Oh, we have found many foods that he WON'T eat.  They include (but are not
limited to...) Science Diet, Iams, _ANY_ ferret-type chow (good thing cuz
it makes me gag too!).  HELP!!!
[Posted in FML issue 1316]