I NEED YOUR HELP NOW PLEASE ITS AN EMERGENCEY AND IT CANT WAIT TILL MORNING TIME!!!!

Question
QUESTION: what can we give a ferret that we found under a house full of ants on it and it was stiff. we put it under water in the tub to get all the ants off and dried her and gave her water threw a surenge and she kind of  is drinking it good but what else can we give her to help her. we know not milk ,what about a little  sugar water . i mean what is healthy for it and will help it. please help me i don't want this thing to die

ANSWER: Hi Jennifer,

I just want to tell you how great it is that you are trying to save this little girl. I really am glad there are people like you in the world.

The biggest thing right now is keeping her hydrated and keeping her strength up. I hope you can get her in to see a vet as soon as possible because that is CRUCIAL at this point. Here is a list of ferret-friendly vets that may help you find one in your area:


VETS USA:
* http://www.quincyweb.net/quincy/vet.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/
* http://www.ferret-universe.com/vets/vetlist.asp
* http://www.ferretsanctuary.com/vets.shtml
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-vets.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/


In the meantime, it is imperative that you try to feed her. Sugar water is not a good idea because sugar is dangerous for ferrets. It can lead to serious complications. Ferrets are obligate carnivores, so they can only eat meat. If you could get some meat baby food (such as turkey, lamb, chicken, anything with just meat, not meat and rice or anything else; just *meat*!!), and mix that with water and try to feed that to her, that would be great. If she doesn't take well to it, you can always try giving it to her in a syringe. That should just be a fix for tonight. This ferret can't survive on that. It doesn't give her the necessary nutrients, but, as you probably won't have access to  much else right now, it is really the lesser of two evils when you think of how hungry the poor girl must be.

When the pet supply stores open in the morning, you can use one of these recipes:

http://www.dookieshouse.org/gravy.htm

I suggest using the one based on Bob Church's recipe. Also, try offering her pieces of cooked, unseasoned meat. If she takes to this, then I would keep giving that to her in small amounts. Make sure she has access to a lot of water! Even if she does take to the pieces of meat, you should still try to give her the watered down baby food as well. She needs to be hydrated. The important thing is to feed her slowly and don't feed her too much. If she goes from starving to full very quickly, that could cause some serious problems. The most important thing that I can't stress enough is to get her to the vet as soon as you can. Make sure the vet specializes in ferrets. A vet that only deals with dogs and cats probably won't be of much help to this little girl.

What kind of condition is she in? Can she drink on her own? You may have to feed her the baby food through a syringe, which is another reason to water it down. If you have to do that, please remember to not go too fast and don't force it down her throat. She may not take to it very well, and in that case, you should gently give her a little bit at a time in the corner of her mouth. Hopefully, she will understand that it is food. Like I said before, though, watered down baby food is not a proper diet for a ferret, and neither is the duck soup. It is not meant to replace a ferret's entire diet. Is she very skinny? When you pick up a healthy ferret, her ribs aren't really visible but you can feel them and when you run your hand down her hindquarters, her muscles should ripple. Obviously, this ferret probably isn't healthy, I'm just trying to tell you how to get an idea of how long she has been out there so you will have something to tell the vet. There is no real way of knowing, but a vague idea may help.

Pay attention to her stool and her bathroom habits. When she defecates, you might get an idea of what kind of shape she is in from her stool. If it looks like bird seed, that means she isn't digesting food wholly, which could be any number of problems. If it is tarry or bloody, that could mean that she has an intestinal blockage which is an emergency situation. Here is a "poop chart" that characterizes a few ferret maladies that you can see in stool:

http://www.ferret-fact.org/HealSymPoop.htm

Also, you can check her eyes and nose for any discharge. You can also check her teeth and gums. If her gums are dry and tacky, then she is dehydrated and she needs more water. If they are pale, this could indicate internal bleeding. Another sign of dehydration you can check for is if you grab the scruff on her neck and it stays tented, that means dehydration.

It is also very important that you keep her warm. A ferret's normal body temperature is about 101-103 degrees Fahrenheit. She needs to be kept warm in a darkened place (or a place where she can snuggle in to rest). She needs to have access to water at all times.

I cannot tell you how important it is that this little girl get to a vet as soon as possible. It is imperative if she is to live. Please keep me updated and you will be in my thoughts and my prayers.

Sincerely,
Emilee Andrews




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you so much for all of your help...I'm not sure we have the money to take her to the vet but i will try to help her as best as i can..shes drinking a little out of the syrenge now but i will try  to get her some baby food as soon as i can...thank you so much for everything!!

Answer
Hi again Jennifer,

Since pet stores are open now, you can try picking her up some Totally Ferret. If she won't eat it straight from the dish, you can try crushing it up and mixing it with water to make it easier for her to eat. You could try that if you are uncomfortable making the duck soup.

If  you don't mind me asking, what kind of shape is she in? How is her stool? Her eyes? Her teeth? Is she vomiting? Is she drinking on her own? Is she playing?

I am very sorry I am drilling you with questions, I just would really like to help!!

Let me know if you need anything!

Sincerely,
Emilee Andrews