In response to Risa's question about the prescription medication
>"famotidine", this is what I've discovered (and please feel free to
>correct me if any of this info.  is erroneous) . . . .
 
Here's a VERY helpful link:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/pharmacy_center.html
(scroll down and click on "famotidine" or any other drug listed)
 
Famotidine is the "medical" name for Pepcid A/C so I would caution
anyone to pay for a prescription of famotidine unless there is some
chemical compound in the famotidine Rx that makes it different than
"over the counter" pepcid A/C.  (which is entirely possible but I'd
suggest asking a medical person about that).
 
My vet prefers to recommend 1/4 doses of Pepcid A/C or Pepto-Bismol
tablets (difficult to chop the PB tablets in fourths however) but the
liquid forms of these can also be used.  Consult your vet for dosage
amounts and frequency of doses of the liquid form.
 
So basically, famotidine is just an alternate way to treat stomach ulcers
and related symptoms (nausea, teeth grinding) most likely caused by
gastro-intestinal problems (most commonly ulcers in ferrets).
 
What I understand about sucralfate (brand name carafate) is that it
covers the site of an ulcer in the stomach and protects it from acids,
enzymes, and bile salts.  It acts more as a 'band-aid' over an ulcer,
once the irritation begins, and can also helps in the healing process
as well as PREVENTS ulcers and other gastro-intestinal conditions from
forming.  BUT it isn't going to TREAT the initial problem that is
causing the ulcer(s).  Carafate, therefore, is much like Pepcid A/C,
Pepto-Bismol, Tagamet, Rolaids, Tums, etc; all can be used to reduce
SYMPTOMS of a greater problem but something else is still needed to
"attack" the actual problem.
 
If the actual problem (condition) is a bacterial infection (such as
the helicobactor bacteria), then a form of a penicillin drug, commonly
Amoxicillin (brand names Clavamox or Augmentin), or metronidazole (brand
name Flagyl) can be used to kill the bacteria and eliminate the
condition.
 
So it's not uncommon for a vet to prescribe an acid reducer medication
(to combat symptoms such as teeth grinding and nausea) and also a
medication, such as Amoxicillin, to fight a possible bacterial infection.
 
Jennifer and the dynamic duo, Sasha & Snowball  :-)
[Posted in FML issue 5175]