ferret weight loss

Question
my ferrets is loosing a lots of weight but he eats a lot and is a happy one, I do not know what to do because I'm out of the USA and Uruguay were is no ferrets and I'm feeding him cat food, but the other ferret I have is very well.The vets here only do cats and dogs.I hope you can help, thanks Alina

Answer
Hi Alina:

Sorry to hear you have a sickly ferret and especially when you are out of the United States. That must be very difficult and very frightening. I will try to help you the best I can, but I'm not a vet and can't diagnose your ferret. The most I can do is to try to help you put some weight back on your little one and hope he can hold his own until you can get a vet to work with you. You don't say how old your little guy is, or if he has any other health issues. His weight loss *could* be as simple as getting a few good doses of a good bulk laxative in him (see below) and cleaning him out good. A 'partially' blocked intestine will cause a ferret to slowly waste and lose weight. Caught early, tho, that can be moved right out and he should pick the weight back up again.

Our goals are going to be 1: to get some extra nutrition into him, and to 2: give his intestinal tract a good cleaning out just to be sure he isn't working on an intestinal blockage (that would definitely be fatal unless you could get him to surgery, so PLEASE be sure to do the treatment below, NOT greasy petroleum-based hairball lax that comes in tubes. Those are ineffective. You'll be shocked when you see the difference a good 'clean out' makes!   I think most ferrets feel better all over when they get on this regimen, healthy or not so healthy - it's just good for their overall health. So, be SURE to give your other ferret the treatment below also...all can ferrets benefit from this.

Here in the states, we have two products; the one I like is Hill's A/D Feline Prescription Diet (canned). Since there are cats there, they just MAY have this product OR something similar. **IMPORTANT: USE THE HILL'S A/D IF AT ALL POSSIBLE** There are other ingredients that will help your little one gain strength and weight; much more so than anything you can make.  There is also a product called Carnivore Care that you could use also, warm, thin to gravy consistency and serve. My experience is with the Hill's A/D.  It is basically very finely ground chicken meat with extra vitamins added in for use (in cats actually) after surgery or during illness or old age. It helps them gain weight and strength.  Warm a tablespoon or two with just enough water to make a nice blended gravy when you heat and stir it.

You will need to get your ferret used to this new flavor. Dip your finger into the 'soup', then into his mouth behind is canine teeth (the long ones). Let him lick it from your fingers also works well. Touch some on his nose and let him lick it off and taste it. Any way you can, he will *probably* gag when he first tastes it - they ALL do. After a few tries tho, he will love it and will stand and beg for it when he hears you making it! It's just a matter of getting used to it; just don't give up - INSIST that he keep tasting it. You MUST persist. Once he starts eating it well, let him have as much as he will eat. It should always be warm and thinned to gravy thickness with water. Unused food should be covered and kept in the refrigerator for later use. He *should* eat about 1/4 can at each meal. Be sure to stir with your finger before giving to him if you useu a microwave to heat it; there may be hot spots, so check for those with your finger before giving it to him.

If you cannot get Hill's A/D, I would recommend you get a whole chicken, cut it up and boil it, carefully remove ALL bones from it, then take all the meat (light, dark AND the ORGAN MEATS - heart/liver ALSO) and FAT and grind them very very finely. DO NOT PUT ANY COOKED BONES IN THIS MIXTURE. COOKED BONES ARE DANGEROUS WHEN EATEN; RAW BONES ARE SAFE, but cooking them makes them brittle and they break easily and have sharp edges, so be very very careful all bones are removed before you begin to grind the chicken. NOTE: You will want to be sure all pieces are thoroughly cooked (cut up into small pieces) BUT NOT OVERCOOKED so that nutrients are lost.

You may add a few tablespoons of butter or olive oil to the mixture for extra fat. Freeze the chicken (to keep it in best condition for the longest period of time) in about 1/2 cup well-sealed air-tight packages. WARM THIS and give to your ferret AS OFTEN AS HE WILL TAKE IT, UP TO FOUR TIMES A DAY IF HE'S NOT EATING ON HIS OWN.

If you think he's not eating his kibble as he should, you can also grind up his kibble and mix it in with the chicken puree before heating it so you will know he is also getting his daily kibble with his warm "soup".  I like to give it AT LEAST morning and bedtime when trying to put weight on them, IF they are eating on their own; FOUR TIMES A DAY IF THEY ARE NOT EATING ON THEIR OWN.  

Check with a vet to get vitamins or other dietary supplements for KITTENS - these should be very good for a ferret. Almost everything you can use for a very young kitten, you can safely use for a ferret. Hopefully that bit of information will help you not to panic too badly.

The other thing you may want to do is be SURE he doesn't have a partial intestinal blockage. If you have Metamucil or other PSYLLIUM (PSYLLIUM ONLY - no other additives) product is the ingredient you will be looking for - no other additives!)  You can GIVE 1/2 TEASPOON PSYLLIUM POWDER in 1/3 c of very soupy (add extra water to his normal warm soup).  Give this THREE DAYS IN A ROW.  Watch his poops to see if he passes any foreign objects.  If he does, give the lax an extra day or two just to be sure everything is out.  This lax is safe as long as you give him plenty of water when you give it, but it MUST be mixed in with plenty of water (1/4 c minimum) any feeding that you give him the PSYLLIUM dosage).

Keep in mind that almost any product for very young kittens will be fine for ferrets....if local vets have nutritional supplements, it may be a good idea to add that to the chicken WHEN IT IS THAWED FOR USE (not frozen with the mixture) FOR THE BEST RESULTS. Many products can lose their effectiveness after they've been frozen and/or heated, so drop those vitamin drops in verrry last thing before that final stir and give to the little guy.

I hope he gets feeling better and starts putting on some weight for you!  Please update me and let me know how he does on the chicken?  If there's anything else I can do, I'll be happy to.  I've sent products to other folks overseas and would be happy to do the same for you if you need that done. Just stay in touch, okay?  Let's hope with a few extra yummies in his tummy, he'll put that weight right back on. I'll keep you and your little ones in my thoughts and prayers-

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers