Dear Sue:
 
>I'm very sorry to bother you personally, but I posted this question on
>the FML and I didn't get anyone to answer.  I have a 1 gram tablet of
>carafate, how would this be mixed up, and what is the dosage for the
>ferret?  Also, I have the ferret on clavimox right now, .3cc 2xday, is
>this low?  And third question, Does pedia pred cause problems in ferrets
>with ulcers?
 
Carafate is also available as a suspension - your vet can even write you
a prescription to fill at the local pharmacy.  If you are wed to your
tablets - your tablet is 1 gram, or 1000 mg.  The dosage for a ferret is
75 mg/kg 10 minutes before each meal.  That's about a fourteenth of a
tablet.  Now, Carafate is an inert substance that just "patches" the ulcer,
so the margin of safety is pretty good.  If you gave a tenth of a tablet,
you won't hurt anything.  Mixed up?  Probably in water is the best thing,
because we want it on board before you start giving any food (which starts
the stomach to secrete acid.
 
Clavamox is dosed at 10-20 mg/kg BID , so your 0.3cc is probably about
right (although I'm not really sure what your ferret weighs...)
 
Finally, pediapred generally doesn't cause ulcers in ferrets, but may have
some impact on their healing.  It all depends on why you are giving the
prednisone.  If it is given to an insulinoma ferret, for example, you don't
have the luxury of discontinuing while treating ulcers.  So you sort of
have to look at all of the ferret's problems at once to decide about how
to proceed with prednisone use in ferrets with ulcers.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 3265]