FERRET-SEARCH@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG
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Thu, 20 Apr 2000 16:14:53 -0500 |
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I'm afraid a very critical point has been neglected in this debate.
If you've taken your non-eating ferret to the vet... have you left him
there to be cared for by the clinic?
I don't know about your clinic, but at the local clinic where I take my
ferret emergencies, there is no one there from midnite to 7am. For a
ferret needing food intake that's one meal (two for a ferret needing food
intake every two hours as in a ferret with serious problems) minimum that's
missed. Additionally, if that ferret is insulinomic, it's a prime
opportunity for a "missed meal" seizure.
Please ask about your clinic's feeding schedule & make sure the techs (who
do the actual work) are aware that the ferret needs more frequent attention
than dogs & cats. Just because your vet knows doesn't mean the technicians
know! So get to know your clinic's staff, too.
Even if they are not digesting all that's eaten, keeping a little something
digestible in their system keeps their system working. (Which is an
oversimplification of the facts, since I'm not a medical professional!)
Personally, if I have a ferret requiring force feeding, that ferret is
getting something every two hours... around the clock. With gentle
handling and plenty of reassurances it doesn't have to be something
stressful. If I have to give them one drop on their chin at a time & wait
for them to lick, the quicker recovery is well worth the additional time
required for non-stressed force feeding. Also, a dropper is safer than a
syringe.
Debi Christy
Ferrets First Foster Home
[Posted in FML issue 3028]
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