post-surgery ferret

Question
Dear Jaquie,

Bruiser is doing alot better, i did the skin test again and it snaps right back down. =) He has been eating more from my hand and drinking alot from the bottle. However, I am worried that once he is doing better he will be spoiled and refuse to eat on his own. How can I prevent this? When and how should I ease him back onto kibbles? Also, is it okay to give him whip cream? And, his back gait is very wobbly and unsteady. Is this normal? He did poop last night and it was large, hard and pitch-black.
The food i have been feeding him is complete nutrition ferret diet. But it's a scam. The food i am trying to feed him now is Zupreem ferret diet. My other ferret just started eating it. Thank you again for your quick and thoughtful response!

Sincerely,
Kristina
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Dear Jaquie,

I just tried your advice on getting him to eat and he IS! He is very eager to eat it. Thank you so much! I will keep doing this. He is dehydrated but he is drinking alot from the spray bottle. About 5 times a day. I will take him back to the vet tomorrow to get another fluid shot.
Another concern of mine is that since he has been home i have not noticed him make a bowel movement. He backs up into a corner but then nothing comes out. It this normal? I have noticed that he has lost alot of weight since being sick. Can i give him whip cream to put on some weight? What else can i do?

Also, long before bruiser became sick, I discovered that the dry kibble food i have been feeding him is not nutritonal as it is corn-based not chicken-based. I have tried to switch him over to the better food but he refuses to eat it. I have also tried to mix the two foods and he picks it out. I really don't want him eating the bad food b/c i know it's not good for him, but he won't eat anything else! Any suggestions?

Thanks again for all your help. It means SO much to me!
Kristina



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Hi, my young male ferret has recently undergone surgery as of two days agao to remove a forigen body caught in his digestive track. He is the first ferret I've owned that has gone through surgery and i'm worried he is not recovering properly. He ate a few of his normal kibbles the day he came home. Since then i have not noticed him drink or eat anything on his own. He has been drinking from a spray bottle when i spray it near his mouth. i also have to force-feed him a high-calorie supplement and mushy food both of which the vet has given to me. He is very groggy and cannot walk straight. He is responsive, however when i snuggle and hold him. Do ferrets normally not eat or drink after surgey? When should i start to really worry? Any adivce and reasurrance would be a big help. Thank you so much!

Sincerely,
Kristina
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Hi Kristina:

So sorry to hear your little one has been feeling bad. I'm glad his mommy loved him enough to get the surgery he needed!  For that, you deserve recognition :-)

You say that he ate dry food the first day home from the hospital - that may be causing some of his discomfort. He really needs to be on a wet, soupy hi-calorie supplement - the stuff your vet gave you to feed him.  He needs to stay on that probably for the first week after surgery to give his gut a chance to heal inside.

If you need to feed him with a syringe or the spray bottle (that's a new one on me and very innovative of you!!) to get him to drink, be sure to do that every three to four hours.  He needs to get lots of fluids down especially.

Here's a test so we will know if he needs to see a vet today: Grab your ferret on the back of his neck and pinch his fur and skin and lift it up an inch or so (where you would scruff him).  When you let go, does it kinda stay up in a bunch, or does it snap back down flat again?

If it snaps back down, he's not dehydrated and you can just continue to try to feed him the hi calorie supplement and water.  IF his skin did NOT snap right back down, get in touch with your vet right away. He needs subQ (under the skin) or IV (in a vein) fluids to help him.  Usually they only need it a time or two, then they will pop right back and be on the road to recovery.

If he doesn't need vet intervention, you need to really concentrate on getting those fluids into him so his internal organs don't start shutting down.  He needs to be getting enough fluids in him that he is peeing regularly. AGain, if you can't get enough in him, take him to your vet or even an emergency vet hospital and ask them to give him some fluids to help him thru the weekend.

It's good that he's responsive and you do need to check that regularly.  Right now the best thing for him (other than getting lots of fluids down) is if you can sit and cuddle him gently, rock him, just be close to him. If you're busy, wrap a blankie around him and keep him close to you if possible - if not, then extra blankies in the cage, as he is probably struggling to maintain his body temperature this soon after surgery.

Sometimes people misjudge how important it is that they cuddle and be close to their ferrets after surgery. The "magic" ingredients of a quick recovery are  1. YOU being close, holding him, etc,  2. keep him warmer than usual with extra blankies, wrap him in your sweatshirt or flannel nightgown and hold him if you can, and 3. keep giving him lots of water and some soft food.  If the vet gave you either Hill's I/D or Hill's A/D (normal post-surgical foods), you can warm it in the microwave, then add water to it and stir it around until it's a thin soupy mixture that is nice and warm, then dip your finger into it and put your finger into his mouth to allow him to taste it. Do this numerous times until he gets a good enough taste of it that he willingly eats/drinks this warm mixture. As he feels better, you can thicken the A/D more and more, but alway warm it and at least put *some* water in it and stir well. (I have one ferret that is three years old and I have to finger feed him to get him started every single time he gets A/D "soup", so don't give up).

Don't hesitate to contact me again. I'll check the computer today to make sure you're doing okay with him.  You don't need to worry as long as you are getting something down him and he is not dehydrated (the skin on the back of his neck test).

Lots of love to your sweet little one. Give him lots and lots of very gentle holding, rocking and being near you. Keep me updated, okay?  

sincerely,
jacquie rodgers

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Hi Kristina:

How is Bruiser doing tonight? I hope you've really been encouraging him to drink water and very soupy A/D 'soup' today. You said in your message that he is dehydrated - that concerns me.  Please get as much fluid into him as often as possible.  What happens when a ferret is dehydrated enough that his skin doesn't snap back down on his neck (that's just a test to determine if he's dehydrated or not) is that his kidneys could stop functioning and other vital organs. Unfortunately, *usually* once a ferret becomes dehydrated, just drinking water won't usually get the fluids into them fast enough to keep them from some kidney damage. So, I hope you've really been getting a lot of fluids down him today; and you can check him again when you read this and see if he's dehydrated still. That's something you really *don't* want to allow to go on....he really needs to see a vet right away if he's still dehydrated when you get this.

I'm so happy he ate for you!  Sometimes just a little tip or two can make a world of difference!

You didn't mention the name of the food you have him on, but yes, he needs to be on a food that is meant for ferrets and is mostly chicken. It needs to be at least 35% protein from chicken sources (not from soy, soy flour, corn gluten or brown rice that some companies use as cheap protein sources.  You can read more about ferret foods and how to choose the best one here:

http://www.ferretstore.com/healthy-choices.html (you will probably have to cut and paste the link into your browser).

Switching a ferret from one food to another is hard because ferrets "imprint" on their food as kits (babies) and if they didn't have it as a baby, they don't recognize it as food right away.

You have the right idea of mixing the two foods to start the change; but just put a couple of the new kibbles in the bowl the first time; then next time twice as many - until you are up to half of each in the bowl.  You mentioned also that Bruiser was taking out the food he wanted and ignoring the other food. Some foods that are good for them are tastier than others - maybe he really didn't like that one?  The ones most likely for him to eat are probably Path Valley Ferret Food and Totally Ferret; also 8 in 1 "ULTIMATE" (only Ultimate - 8 in 1 has some others that aren't so good).  My kids won't eat Zupreem, Mazuri or Sheppard & Greene - I guess they just are too different for them, but I know other ferrets that eat them. The most popular are the ones my kids eat I think. They all meet the nutritional needs of ferrets well also. There is a new one called Natural Gold that claims to have 50% protein, but it is NOT from chicken sources, so I don't recommend it. When you're looking at the ingredients, look at the first FIVE ingredients and at least FOUR of those should have something to do with chicken...chicken, chicken parts, chicken fat, chicken digest, chicken broth.....as long as it's chicken, you're good to go.

So, just do the changeover very very slowly - ALSO, *STORE* the old food in the same container with the new food(s) - I usually recommend at least TWO foods mixed in case one changes their formula, your ferret won't suddenly stop eating - and shake it up often so the flavors blend. Then, as the weeks go along and you feed him the food, it all tastes more and more alike because they've all been shaken up together and the crumbs mix all together and coat the other kibbles :-)  Sneaky, eh?  

About the not pottying since he's been home - OR any time you think your ferret may not be pottying - place paper towels in the corner that the litterbox is usually in and remove the litterbox (it should be out anyway right now because you don't want him dragging his sore tummy across the lip of the litterbox).  When he backs up, it will be on the paper towel and you will be able to see exactly what, if anything, he is doing.  If he's not peeing, he needs to have more fluids in him (right now, post surgically, is when I'm talking about); As far as pooping, he won't start pooping until he starts getting a little bit of food down him, which apparently you did this afternoon, so I am hoping that by this evening he's doing a little bit of pooping for you. It will probably be very soft, even liquidy, because he is eating "soup" right now until he feels better.  Just change the paper towel so he will have a nice clean one for next time.

Hope that answers your questions.  Take good care of that little boy and give him lots of special gentle hugs and love.  Let me know how he progresses if you would?

sincerely,
jacquie rodgers

Answer
Hi Again Kristina:

Oh, I'm SO relieved that Bruiser is doing better and is no longer dehydrated!!! YOU DID A GREAT JOB!!!  You should feel really proud of yourself; not everyone can accomplish what you did with him.

I think you should keep him on the soft diet until his check-up with the vet at least; then after that you can alternate - regular kibble freely available in the cage and instead of feeding him the A/D so often, cut it down to maybe twice a day for a few days, then once a day for a few days, then stop the A/D (UNLESS your vet tells you differently - it does take their little insides a while to heal after a surgery like that, so give him a little time). He should come off the A/D with no problem if he's weaned off slowly as described above. It's usually not a problem. I use Hill's I/D (kinda of the same, but lower in fat) to make my kids soup every night. It's good stuff and nutritionally complete for them, although a kibble gives them the crunchy chewing, etc, so they really need to change back, but you can still  supplement the kibble with 'soup' daily if you want to, or just now and then if you want. My kids look forward to 'soup time'!

I'm sorry I forgot to answer your whipped cream question last time. I have heard of other people feeding whipped cream to put weight on, but I've just never done it and would rather see how my ferret is doing on the hi-protein food he is eating...whipping cream might put on FAT, but it won't add anything to his health nutritionally.  If he stays skinny - you will know he needs more supplemental feedings (the a/d soup) and if he starts packing on the weight (like my little guy did after surgery a few months ago), I *KNEW* he was doing better and it wasn't an artificial fat, it was healthy, hi protein nutrition. I think that's a bit of a personal choice, and that's just MY personal opinion. I like to know if he's doing well or not, not an artificial weight gain. Believe me, when they DO start doing well, the weight comes on FAST and mine is right back up to his full weight. All he had was his regular kibble and a couple of 'soup' feedings thruout the day.  My kids *always* get Hill's I/D "soup" at bedtime, so they are both pretty chubby, but very healthy. I just think some warm meat soup at bedtime is a good way to keep their little tummies happy for most of the night :-)

The fact that Bruiser is still a little wobbly and unsteady is a bit concerning to me.  I would think after the second day, his strength would pretty much be returning, but he did have a bit of a setback with the dehydration, so maybe we should give him an extra day before we get too concerned.  It might be a good idea to just give your vet a phone call tomorrow and explain to her that he's eating well and otherwise pretty good, but seems wobbly.  She *may* want to see him before his next scheduled appointment. It *could* mean that he just doesn't have his strength back; it *could* mean he is having a nerve pinching or something from the surgery that is not right - only the vet can tell you what's really going on. Try not to worry, but DO call and let her know he's wobby and weak.

You've done an outstanding job of taking care of Bruiser, Kristina.  Thanks so much for keeping me up to date. Don't hesitate - you know where to get me :-)if you need any more help.

sincerely,
jacquie rodgers