I have one ferret with insulinoma, she's had two major crises and three
minor ones in the last week.  I have another ferret that has what is more
than likely ECE considering the yellow diarrhea and forced feedings for the
past two weeks (he will *not* eat on his own).  I am beginning to panic,
because as I understand it, ferrets with a preexisting medical condition
fare far worse with ECE than those without preexisting problems.  She is
showing the first signs of ECE(?)--greenish puffy poop.  She is an absolute
sweetheart and I do not want to see her suffer and/or die.  The problem is
that I have to work and can only feed three times per day--once at 6:30
a.m., once at 4:30 p.m.  and again at 12:00 a.m.  Is that going to be enough
for an insulinomic ferret with ECE(?) ?  I am already frazzled by having to
deal with *one* ferret that won't eat, and it takes about 1/2 hour to get
him to eat 30 cc's of food.  What happens when the other 7 get it?  Good
Lord, it's going to take 4 hours to get everyone fed, so in other words, I
won't sleep for about 2 months.  What is the record for someone not
sleeping?  I might be breaking that record.  How on earth do those of you
that have more than 8 ferrets do it?  Like I said, it's been two weeks of
forced feedings for this little boy, how long does it normally take for them
to eat on their own again?  I am afraid to associate w/ a friend of mine
that has 6 ferrets for fear it may transmit to hers, and I work for an
emergency pet clinic that has ferrets come in ocassionally--how can I avoid
touching them?  I can certainly spray down with Nolvassan, but will that
definately do it?  I sure as hell don't want anyone else to have to go thru
this--it's hard and tiring--just the stress of wondering if the animal is
going to live or die.  I tend to ramble and run on at the mouth when
stressed.
 
Sandy
[Posted in FML issue 2399]