ferret not eating

Question
my husband's ferret is 9 years old.  recovered from an eye infection less than 2 weeks ago.  he is not eating.  still drinking and peeing.  stools have been very watery.  this is going on now for 6 days.  my husband read something about pepto bismol and stage 2 gerber chicken baby food.  we gave him 3 doses of pepto in a 24 hour period and we are having to use a syringe to get the baby food into him.  about 1 1/2 teaspoons two times a day for the last 2 days.  nothing has changed with his food or water.  took him to visit my mother in law and her 7 month old ferret 10 days ago.  didn't seem very happy about that.  she is a heck of a lot more energetic than he is.  when the hissing and biting started is when i said it was time to go.  don't know if maybe that had something to do with it.  but he has been fluffy and chubby for quite a while.  he's still fluffy but his skeleton is definitely more pronounced just by touching him.  any suggestions?  we plan on taking him to the vet on friday because i can't afford to pay for an office visit until then.

Answer
Hi Sara:

Keep up the warm baby food feedings - he should be eating a MINIMUM of a jar of food a day.  Pepto is good if he seems to be having tummy problems or diarrhea. Be sure he is drinking enough - check for dehydration by pinching up the skin on the back of his neck - if it stays tented up, he is dehydrated and needs to get to a vet IMMEDIATELY for subcutaneous (under the skin) fluids - you won't be able to get enough liquids in him if he's that dehydrated. The skin SHOULD snap right back down flat in a normal healthy ferret. Dehydration will kill a ferret faster than anything. Use Pedialyte if you are giving fluids at home.

Nine years old is very old for a ferret. Be sure to keep him nice and warm with plenty of soft fleece (or soft) blankies in case he is having any problems holding his body temperature. Hold him & rock him, sing or talk to him while rocking as often as possible to let him know you love him and calm him.

Best of luck - get him to that vet ASAP. He needs an exam that I can't do over the internet. If there is much wrong with him, you would surely do him a favor to help him out of his pain and put him to sleep, but that is a decision that you can only make with a vet's help. Normal lifespan for a ferret is 6 to 8 years old. I have heard of a few older ferrets, but not many, so please prepare yourself and know that he should be treated very very gently and with the best of care at this point in his life. You must have been a wonderful mom & dad to him. My thoughts and prayers are with him and with you.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers