From:    Carol Krause <[log in to unmask]>
>Does anyone out there know anything about baby ferrets that just
>stop growing? Or any animals for that matter. I am just interested
>in info,thanks.

As a breeder, I have had 2 instances of failure to thrive kits. In both
cases, it showed up before they were 3 weeks old, and despite all my
efforts to help them, in both cases they died. I have talked to several
vets about this, and while none of them gave me anything definitive,
they suggested that it was likely due to some sort of problem that
keeps them from digesting food properly, and getting the needed
nutrients out of it. I know that similar conditions can be seen in
some human babies, and are caused by a number of different things. Per
the following webpage, some of the causes are:

Failure to thrive: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
<http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000991.htm>

* Chromosome
  <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002327.htm>
  problems such as Down syndrome and Turner syndrome
  <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000379.htm>
* Organ problems
* Thyroid hormone deficiency, growth hormone deficiency, or other
  hormone deficiencies
* Damage to the brain or central nervous system, which may cause
  feeding difficulties in an infant
* Heart or lung problems, which can affect how nutrients move through
  the body
* Anemia or other blood disorders
* Gastrointestinal problems that make it hard to absorb nutrients or
  cause the body to have a lack of digestive enzymes
* Long-term gastroenteritis and gastroesophageal reflux (usually
  temporary)
* Cerebral palsy
  <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000716.htm>
* Long-term (chronic) infections
* Metabolic disorders
* Complications of pregnancy and low birth weight

Some of these problems likely do not apply to ferrets (i.e. I have
never heard of a ferret having cerebral palsy), but most certainly
others can apply to ferrets. With the 2 cases I have had, I did
intervene as soon as the problem of low weight gain surfaced, and began
hand feeding them. Most breeders weigh the kits daily with a scale
accurate to at least 0.1 grams, and record the weights. That way, we
know immediately when a kit is not growing as fast as they should.
And, with both my cases, despite receiving the amount of formula they
needed, they did not gain weight. They did pee and poop, but seemed
to get no nutritional value from the food. For me, it was a very
heartbreaking experience both times, because it required a lot of
work on my part with mixing formula and feeding every 2 or 4 hours,
depending on the age, and seeing the baby still slip away. When it
would reach a point when it was clear the baby was not going to make
it, I would simply leave it with the mom. In both cases the mom knew
the baby was dying, and simply kept it close to her head and chest,
but did not try to encourage it to nurse.

I will sometimes have 1 or 2 kits in a litter that have a much lower
birth weight than their siblings. This usually occurs when it is a
large litter, and 2 placentas are close or overlapping. In this type of
case, the ferret fetus is unable to get enough nutrition while still
in the uterus. With this problem, by supplementing the baby, they will
catch up very quickly, and soon will not be behind in weight. With
large litters (and I have had some of 11 and 12 kits), there is always
a greater chance of having problems in the early weeks.

I have had other instances where a baby had less strength than its
siblings, and had problems fighting its way to the teats. In those
cases, I have been able to supplement them with hand feeding until they
get their strength and size built up, and then they do just fine on
their own. One such case has even taken at least 1 Best in Show at an
AFA Ferret Show, so this type of situation does not necessarily mean
the kit will be sick all their life. I am also aware of one breeder
that did keep a FTT kit alive to reach adulthood. The ferret was always
small and sickly, and only lived 18 months. I am sure that other
breeders that read the FML can also share stories about FTT kits.

I would also comment that sometimes the growth of a kit can be stunted
because they do not receive enough nutrients during their first weeks.
This can be due to an inability to get enough time at the mother's
teats, or a whole litter can be affected if the mother is not producing
enough milk, or has milk that is lacking in needed nutrients. Pre-natal
care is just as important for pregnant jills as it is for pregnant
humans. I hope this information is helpful, and I also hope that others
will share their experiences.

Danee DeVore
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
See - http://www.ferretadv.com/
Owner of The Clay Ferret
Quality Kits Raised With Love

[Posted in FML 7726]