I've been rampaging through my papers looking for a certain article in
MODERN FERRET .... to no avail.....so I am hoping that someone else will
know what I am looking for and send the info to Meagan for Keera, Fezzik,
Nico and Sir Robbin.
 
One of the earlier issues had a "recipe" for vets to mix the meds with Pet-
Tinic (spelling?).  When Rustle had to take Flagyl, he couldn't/wouldn't
because it is so unpalatable mixed just with water.  Once the vet formulated
it according to the magazine's instructions, it was a different story.  He
didn't love being scruffed for it, but he didn't fight madly and foamily
puke it right back up.
 
Also Meagan, I hope someone gives you a good lead for a different vet.  I
felt terrible leaving our first vet (he was so eager to learn, and he was
the one who agreed to mix up the formula, etc) but good intentions are not
all it takes to get a ferret well, and I have never regretted switching to
more ferret knowledgeable/experienced vets.  If you lived on Long Island, I
would heartily recommend Dr Horowitz and Dr Ulrich in Massapequa!
 
Meanwhile, you might ask your current vet about two medications that really
helped Rustle and Archie get over months of tummy troubles such as you
describe: Carafate and Tylan powder.  The powder gets mixed into baby food
and they don't even know they are getting it.... I don't know what it is,
though.  I think the carafate soothes the lining of the gastrointestinal
tract, but don't quote me on it!!  Neither were anywhere near as
objectionable as the flagyl.
 
I also, not according to a vet's advice, ordered bene-bac from the Jeffers
catalogue to help replace some of the microorganisms that had made such a
hasty exit from their GI tracts.  It didn't help like the meds did, but as
vet #1 said when I told him about it, "It couldn't hurt." They didn't mind
lapping that up either, but I discontinued it once they were under Dr
Horowitz and Dr Ulrich's care.
 
A short term approach suggested by the vets (in conjunction with the meds)
was to give foods that would be more binding.  One was junky semi-moist
cat food, just to be used for a few days, no more,and the other, which in
moderation, they felt would not be harmful to continue, was mushed up
banana.... l still give them about a teaspoon of that every day or so.  But
you want to work WITH your vet and not at cross purposes, so this also would
be something you would want to discuss without just going ahead and doing it
on your own, at least that is how I feel about it.
 
Since it has been many months since the diarrhea disaster here, it is
possible that my vets would have different instructions at this point, but
last fall, it was the above stuff that did the trick.
 
And just one more thing..... although I still shudder when I think of those
horrendous weeks of scruffing and medicating, these ferrets seem to practice
"forgive and forget".
 
Lots of luck and lots of happy ferret days to come!
Jennifer
[Posted in FML issue 2349]