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Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 21 Feb 2003 15:04:56 -0500
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[Moderator's note: Please see reply address at bottom.  Posted anon due
to problems with usual e-mail address.  BIG]
 
I have a zillion questions related to intestinal blockages.  Here is a
little background for you -- Simon, male, 5-6 years old, fixed.  We have
been to the vets and have seen the Xray, so the blockage is confirmed,
and most likely believed to be a hairball.  We would like avoid an
unnecessary (and costly) surgery, but not at the cost of his health,
sanity, or certainly his life.  Simon is barely eating on his own, and
is not drinking at all.  We are force-feeding a duck soup mixture, water,
and Vaseline (as well as an antibiotic).
 
**What is normal poop?  His poop is taffy-like in consistency.
 
**How long should it take for the hairball to pass?
 
**Does it come out in pieces or one clump?  The vet said it was about the
size of the tip/last knuckle of your pinkie finger.
 
**As long as he is pooping and peeing, how long can we and should we
continue to force feed him?  He poops about every 12 hours, but it's
quite large, about the size of two entire pinkie fingers.
 
**At what point should we give up on nature and choose surgery?
 
**What is recovery like for this surgery?
 
**Is there such a thing as too much Vaseline?  Is he getting the
nutrition he needs out of his food or is the Vaseline causing it to pass
through so quick that he can't absorb the nutrients?
 
**At what point should we stop force-feeding and see if he will eat and
drink on his own.  Perhaps, he has no desire to eat on his own; because
he's full from everything he has been force-fed.
 
Here is approx what he is eating and drinking (he is fed every 2 hours
during the day and has access to his regular food and water all the
time):
 
**18ml of goop (it's a mixture of a/d, 2nd stage chicken baby food, and
sometimes a little ferretone & Vaseline)
 
**18ml of water
 
**a whomping fingertip of Vaseline every few hours
 
Thank you in advance for answering any (or all) of my questions.  Please
send your reply to me at [log in to unmask] (it would be great if you
could put ferret in the subject, but not necessary).
 
-Eliza
 
REMINDER to all:
Please give your ferrets a hairball preventative regularly!  This is one
of the few health complications that we can prevent.  We are feeling
extremely guilty for neglecting this facet of their care.  Don't make the
same mistakes we have.  Perhaps someone could post a weekly reminder to
us all... or maybe Joanne Ruffner (sorry, if I have the name incorrect)
of the SOS BaM Club could post the reminder with her monthly BaM
reminder.
[Posted in FML issue 4066]

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