Hi Everyone!  i was wondering if anyone out there might have some inputs
and suggestions to my dilema, i am currently fostering a four year old (we
think)little guy named Dumpy, i brought him home with me to fatten him up,
as his shelter mom didn't think he was eating enough to sustain him, and
she feared he was going to die, she had taken him to her vet for bloodwork,
and x-rays and everything seemed ok, considdering his overall condition, he
was extremely skinny and bony and barely weighed a pound, he was on a small
dose of prednisone, and still didn't eat, so i got the Duck Soup with the
liver pate and started to syringe feed him every four hours, at first i
couldn't get him to eat more than 15 cc's and a coupple of weeks later he
was up to 30 cc's or more per feeding, he gained weight and was up to 2.80,
and i started trying to get him to eat his regular food, at first he would
take a few pieces and eat them out of my hand, but then totally refused it,
the shelter has been feeding him 8 in one, i have tryed the 8 in one which
he ate 3 pieces of, but now refuses, Iams kitten, sheppard and Greene,
Mazury with no luck, and Kaytee which he will carry of to under the bed but
wont eat it.  i started feeding him the Duck Soup in a bowl, (wich at first
he didn't want) but now he will eat a little of (about 1 third if even
that) and if i help with my finger he will eat about half (20 cc's) i've
crushed some eight in one and mix it with the duck soup, so he occasionally
has to chew a little, but he'll try and lick all around a piece rather than
eat it.
 
He weighs now 2.40 and i am thinking of starting the syringe feeding again,
he is a big ferret, and could use at least 3 pounds of weight.  His back
legs are weak, and he is wobbly when walking, and tips over easily, but has
improved some, and he runs and war dances better than he walks, he is a
sweet and happy little guy who i cant help falling in love with, he comes
when i call him (knows i'm the duck lady) and follows me around to come
sleep on my feet, loves to be tickled and will lay on his back mouth wide
open of excitement to then roll over and take of dancing and hopping, if i
leave the room my husband tells me he will go to the door and lie down for
a while before looking up my shoes to go sleep next to, i'm so touched by
his affection, he seems to so much appreciate the love and attention he
gets, where my other ferrets just (rightfully)take it for granted!!  LOL!!
 
We were thinking that his weak legs could be a sign of insulinoma, further
tests will be done, but there are no other signs such as drooling or
salivating or pawing at his mouth, he used to sit in front of food just
licking the air but not attempting to eat even in the morning when i KNEW
he must be hungry, and that seems to be more a sign of starvation right?
and he still does that for a while before lowering his head to the food all
the while licking the air, it is almost like he doesn't see the food, but i
know he can see.
 
so the question i have is do you think he is too spoiled with the feeding?
how do i reverse it?  or does it seem to be a medical problem?  (he did
quit eating before i spoiled him) what could be the matter with him?  He
has a large ribcase or so it seems, could that be his age?  or the previous
malnutrition?  his x-rays came back ok, no tumors or enlargements of the
spleen.
 
sorry this was a long post, but i wanted to be as detailed as possible,
(BIG you may edit if you wish)   [Nah, it's fine.  BIG]
 
on another note i was looking at cheap cat food at the store and
considdering to buy some to see if he would recognize any, and saw that
Smith's has their own brand Premium High Protein Cat food, and reading the
content i was surprised to see pretty good values, such as crude protein
min 31.0% crude fat min 20.0% and main ingredients poultry as first, by
product meal second, brewer's rice, ground yellow corn, animal fat, corn
gluten meal, dried whole egg, dried yeast, chicken digest, and so on,
 
anyone seen that?  or have an opinion?  it seems that compared to some
ferret foods it has a pretty decent nutritional value, sheppard and greene
have 35% protein, but only 15% fat, first ingredient chicken, then ground
yellow corn, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, and fifth animal fat, all my
ferrets eat different food, Truls loves his Kaytee only, Liza eats Iams,
and totally ferret, and will raide Luckys sheppard and greene, and Lucky
will eat sheppard and greene, and now raides Dumpys 8 in one, and Lizas
Iams and totally ferret, so i am switching Lucky to Iams and totally
ferret.
 
this really got long!!  please send me suggestions regarding Dumpy, i don't
know what to do.
 
we all send our warmest thoughts and all our love to you with sick ferrets,
and those who have crossed.
 
Josephine
[Posted in FML issue 2570]