>Well, I was putting the stuff in his chicken baby food recipe and he was >eating it but recently has decided that he is NOT going to eat the stuff. >We have tried feeding in smaller amounts several times a day, mixing it >with ferretone, you name it, but he does NOT want to eat the stuff. >Anyone have any ideas??? I've even tried putting it in a syringe or >dropper and forcefeeding it but he quite simply throws a fit. Please >help him! (and me) > >Angie George Hi Angie ~ I have no idea why he prescribed samE, but I don't have the box to see what the ingredients are either. I know it is used for depression. The Milk Thistle, however, is tonifying (building and supporting) to the liver. I'm not sure how he prescribed it, but if it is a powder and you are sprinkling it on food, there is something else you can do. Milk Thistle, by itself, does not have a lot of flavor...however my ferrets have always been finicky. So I make them a tincture with glycerine. I use USP grade, which you can get from a pharmacy. The glycerine on the shelves very often is for cosmetics. The USP grade can be consumed. For this use I'd take about a half a cup of the glycerine; 1/4 cup of pure water (spring or natural), not distilled water, or tap water; and 1/4 cup of the ground up milk thistle plant. Shake, date the label, and let stand in a dark corner for 3-4 weeks. Agitate every day a bit. Then strain out the plant. You would then let him lick one or two drops off of your finger. Here's the rub--glycerine is almost all sugar, so little ones will probably love to lick it off. However for long term use I would do a drop or two on the food. I would reduce the food in the bowl to what is consumed in a 24 hour period, and refresh both food and drops each day. What you would make is called a tincture. You can also buy commercial grade tinctures from good health food stores. They come in an alcohol base; and a non-alcohol (probably glycerine). Some people use vinegar as the base but who likes that. You can do the same with olive oil instead of glycerine. You would not use the water but go 3/4 olive oil to 1/4 herb. Put in a non-alyminun pan and just begin to simmer. Take off of the heat and let sit for 4-6 hours. Then rub over the liver area twice a day. Some people give the oil on the food, or in a dropper to their pets as well. Do not use any other kind of oil as they can go rancid. If you are still afraid of rancidity cut open a vitamin C capsule and pour the contents into the pan just as you remove from the heat. The C keeps oils from becoming rancid. Hope this helps ~ Mary Herbalist The Conley Farm - organic herbs Online Classes ~ [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 3893]