First, I apologize to Lori who asked for some travel tips on the FML back in
issue #2277.  I am sorry that I didn't write sooner.  I have been real busy
and Doris acquired a GI infection.  She quit eating and drinking and so I
immediately started hand feeding her and took her to the vet.  The vet did a
fecal smear and found that Doris had a very high amount of "rod" bacteria.
She put her on Flagyl and told me to continue feeding her "truck soup".
Sammy also got jealous because I was hand feeding Doris so he quit eating
and his stools went runny again so I had to start hand feeding him also.
 
Now you ask, what is "truck soup"?  Well it is exactly like duck soup but
very different.  Huh?  Exactly.  You see, in my truck I don't have a
blender,  freezer, or all of the other luxuries that you have in a home.  I
only have a small fringe.  So I have invented "truck soup"  It is a mixture
that can be made and given without the need of a blender or freezer.  All of
the ingredients can be kept on hand and easily mixed while "on the road".
Now, please understand that I am not saying that I came up with THE perfect
diet.  It is just a diet that you can easily keep in storage and use in case
of an emergency.
 
Here is the recipe:
 
2 cans Hill's A/D food (must be acquired through a vet)
1 tsp. of FerretZyme Plus (Pet's Friend, Inc. 305-739-4416)
Gerber instant rice and banana food (powered form)
2 packets of Kao Lectrolyte Electrolyte Replenisher (this is made by the
makers of Kaopectate.  It is basically Pedialyte in a concentrate powder)
3 inches of Nutrical (you can get this through a vet)
1 Tbsp of Ferretone
 
I mix the Hills A/D, FerretZyme Plus, Nutrical, Ferretone, and Kao
Lectrolyte together.  After you mix it for a little while you will notice
that it will become fairly liquid.  This is the FerretZyme working.  Then
right before I get ready to feed it I mix in some of the baby food until it
is at the consistency that I want.  I then spoon it into a 35 cc feeder
syringe and feed it to the sick ferret every two to three hours.  I try to
get them to eat about 20 to 25 ccs at a feeding.  Sometimes I can only get
15 ccs down them.  Also remember to keep liquid down them.  For some reason
my kids like the fruit flavored Pedilyte but some ferrets only like the
unflavored Pedialyte.  Just make sure that you keep them hydrated.
 
Please understand that this diet is NOT a cheap one.  The cost can add up
real fast depending on how long you feed it to them.  I am just suggesting
that if you are going to travel a long distance with a ferret to take these
items along in a "emergency kit".  The one thing that I always try to do is
be prepared.
 
If any of you vets out there think that this mixture is bad then PLEASE LET
ME KNOW.  I don't want to be mixing up an explosive on accident <grin>.
That would give a whole new meaning to "explosive Diarrhea".
 
Just a quick note, this mixtures doesn't keep much longer then 48 hours so
if you have a small ferret you might what to cut the recipe in half.
 
I only had to feed this to Sammy and Doris for about three days and then
they started eating and drinking again on their own.  Sammy is back to
normal but Doris has just started having diarrhea again.  So I am watching
her real close right now.
 
I know this post didn't include a lot about "travel tips" but I will post
again with more information in it.
 
Jason, Sammy, Doris, and Buddy
ICQ # 7528859 (Sammy's Dad)
ICQ - www.icq.com
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2293]