Dear Sherin: >A week ago, she seemd like she was feeling better, diarrhea was improved, >and she was starting to eat more and without protest. In the past couple >of days she is eating only small amounts and with a lot of struggle, and >has VERY watery light brown diarrhea several times a day. Yesterday she >had sub-q fluids; i thought that would perk her up but it didn't. Her >little anus is protruding slightly; after her first meal today she acted >like she wanted to throw up, but she didn't produce anything. > >I've been giving her carafate & pepto 10-15 minutes before eating & >offering/insisting on warmed up chicken baby food many times a day. Well, I'm not sure why you are giving the pepto - it doesn't add anything to the treatment regimen except stress. If you are not using it in concert with amoxicillin and metronidazole for Helicobacter - it doesn't do anything. At this point, my advice is to stick with the program. Carafate, bland diet and subq fluids. No diarrheic ferret dies when those are used - and the fact that she has made it for a month now makes it unlikely that she will pass on. Keep looking carefully for signs of an ulcer (my sneaking suspicion in this case) - tooth grinding is probably the most likely symptom that you will see. Let's ditch the pepto at this point. Let's stick with the program - some ferrets go up and down. When she is back on an even keel - I think we may start on some low dose pred - but only after she starts eating regularly again. Also I'd suggest subq fluids on a daily basis - see if your vet will show you how to do it - a great skill for a ferret mom to master and not all that difficult. Hang in there - lot's of TLC and good nursing care will pull her through. With kindest regards, Bruce Williams, DVM [Posted in FML issue 3313]