Hello all,
My (approx)3 yr spayed female ferret "Squirt" has lost weight over the
summer/ hasn't gained appropriate weight or hair coat for winter.  She had
some diarrhea in May (stopped eating, had to force feed, etc.), but
recovered, slowly gained weight back.  However, over the past couple of
weeks, she has developed almost a ravenous appetite.  She is always eating,
yet not gaining weight/ possibly losing weight.  Her feces are well formed,
but a little "seedy" and do have an abnormal smell (the only way I can
describe it is that it smells like steroid-induced diarrhea ?).  My other
three ferrets feces smell normal (and they are all healthy).  I brought her
to the vet yesterday for an exam and fecal (hers alone and a composite of
all the other ferrets) and she goes back today for bloodwork.  The vet
wasn't sure what was going on, but was thinking possibly adrenal or
pancreatic problems.  He suggested that perhaps she was compensating for
hypoglycemia by eating more frequently.
 
I had tried giving her supplements (duck soup, baby food, ensure) but they
all gave her severe, watery diarrhea.  All the ferrets are eating Iams
kitten food (dry).  I'm wondering if maybe she's just not digesting the
food well enough to absorb enough nutrients.  She had never had any health
problems until the diarrhea last May.
 
If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
 
Thank you,
Lisa and the 4 fuzzbutts -- Daisy, Squirt, Snowflake and Thomas
        (and 2 dogs -- Amy and Buck)
 
P.S.  Anyone out there have dogs that like to eat ferret poop?  Buck
(Corgi/ Golden RetrieverX) loves ferret poop -- he goes crazy when I clean
the ferret cage or when he comes inside after the ferrets have been out.
Fortunately, my other dog, Amy (Golden Retriever) does not partake in this
taste for ferret poop (though they both really like any type of herbivore
poop or cat poop).
[Posted in FML issue 2098]