I noticed a couple of posts on ulcers in ferrets and what sounded like
stress diarrhea (new ferret in the house).  Both of these usually are the
result of a flare-up of a common bacteria that often resides
asymptomatically in the gut of a ferret.  Under stress (new ferret, new
food, moving, loss of a playmate, illness, etc.) this bacteria will start
to multiply out of control leading to diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy,
dehydration and ulcers.
 
The treatment prescribed Quesenberry, Hillyer; "Ferrets, Rabbits and
Rodents, clinical medicine and surgery," includes Amoxicillin (we use
Amoxidrops), Flagyl, and Pepto Bismol.  Our shelter vet adds
Carafate/sulcrafate to this regime.  It's a human ulcer medication that
seems to be quite benign.  It binds to the ulcerated tissue and protects it
from stomach acid while the ulcer heals.  What isn't used in binding,
passes right on through.  Generally we keep the pill form on-hand, grind
them and mix the powder with water to form a suspension (shake before
using).  We start with the Amoxicillin (and Flagyl if you are giving that
too) to kill the helicobacter; wait about 20 - 30 minutes then give the
Carafate; again wait about 20 - 30 minutes and then give the Pepto.  After
that we do any syringe feeding or Duck Soup offering and water/pedialyte.
(Note that if your ferret reacts violently to the Pepto - gagging and
vomiting - Kaopectate or other symptomatic treatments of diarrhea might be
used under vet advice.  The bismuth in Pepto Bismol does help kill off the
helicobacter, though.)
 
All diarrheas need to be treated aggressively and the ferret should be seen
by a vet.  Not all diarrhea is caused by helicobacter, although it may be a
complicating factor in other causes such as coccidia and other parasites.
We've found that if treatment is started at once (usually after the second
or third bout of diarrhea) we can clear it up in 2 - 3 days.  If delayed
for several days, the treatment can take weeks.
 
Dick B.
4 Li'l Paws Ferret Shelter
[Posted in FML issue 2877]