Advice Please

[happyferret123 13]

Hi Guys just wanted advice about my Jill Maisie.

In the Last two weeks my Jill has suddenly gone very bony- you can feel every rib sticking out but has now got big belly. She has moments when she becomes very sleepy and cuddly(this is not normal for her as I picked her up two years ago as a rescue and hadn't been handled much and was a real biter, she doesn't bite any more but not bothered about being handled) So I thought it could be an enlarged spleen or blockage or something so I took her to the vets and the vet told me that unless they go inside they couldn't tell exactly what was it is. (this would cost upwards of £200 maybe to be told there is nothing they could do. And she is getting on-she's minimum of 5 years old probably older)

She is eating and pooing normally.

But the vet guessed its a disease that makes their intestines stick together (can't remember the name of it) and said she prob only has a few month left to live maybe less, the vet gave her a steroid shot which she said would help any discomfort- though Maisie doesn't seem to be in any pain and is holding her own with my other two ferrets.

Maisie is constantly itching -though treated with frontline, and sneezes often. Do you think it could be something else?

And what can I feed her on to try and get some fat on her. At the moment I am feeding her on Beef and James wellbeloved Dry food and chicken and egg, is there anything else you can suggest?

And at the moment she is running around my bedroom quite happily, apart from itching constantly do you think this is the steroid shot making her perk up a bit?

..And do you think its fair keeping her alive when she is this thin? Just don't want to get her pts before her time.

[tegater 789]

I've not a clue, but if she seems happy dont get her pts. They can get all sorts of ailments as they get older, and it may just be the equivelent of feeling under the weather.

 

Hope she is ok. atb

[paulus 26]

Hi Guys just wanted advice about my Jill Maisie.

In the Last two weeks my Jill has suddenly gone very bony- you can feel every rib sticking out but has now got big belly. She has moments when she becomes very sleepy and cuddly(this is not normal for her as I picked her up two years ago as a rescue and hadn't been handled much and was a real biter, she doesn't bite any more but not bothered about being handled) So I thought it could be an enlarged spleen or blockage or something so I took her to the vets and the vet told me that unless they go inside they couldn't tell exactly what was it is. (this would cost upwards of £200 maybe to be told there is nothing they could do. And she is getting on-she's minimum of 5 years old probably older)

She is eating and pooing normally.

But the vet guessed its a disease that makes their intestines stick together (can't remember the name of it) and said she prob only has a few month left to live maybe less, the vet gave her a steroid shot which she said would help any discomfort- though Maisie doesn't seem to be in any pain and is holding her own with my other two ferrets.

Maisie is constantly itching -though treated with frontline, and sneezes often. Do you think it could be something else?

And what can I feed her on to try and get some fat on her. At the moment I am feeding her on Beef and James wellbeloved Dry food and chicken and egg, is there anything else you can suggest?

And at the moment she is running around my bedroom quite happily, apart from itching constantly do you think this is the steroid shot making her perk up a bit?

..And do you think its fair keeping her alive when she is this thin? Just don't want to get her pts before her time.

everything has a sell by date mate

[patterdalejoel 669]

i had this problem with a jill. put it down to problem with metabolism or hormones. was eating and acting fine. eventually got very skinny and pts. she wasnt a very decent worker so her future here was in question anyway. was still sad though. but very similar if indentical to your jill.

[The one 8,479]

One of my older ones was like that while her sisters just went bald from April till October her Stomache swelled up each year due to her age the vet didnt want to operate ,she outlasted the lot of them and died in her sleep in may aged 11 .It doesn't seem to bother them and they have a good quality of life right up till the end

[tomano1 80]

Never herd of this but it's something I just learnt so your never to old learn ATB TOMA

[theferreter 311]

old age my friend

[ferret100 47]

Odd that she's itching so much. The steriod has probably been given to provide an anti-inflammatory effect and to possibly relieve the itching if the vet thought it is significant? Did they mention any sort of skin irritation/little red lumps on her skin?

 

Sometimes a worm burden causes a pot belly and the rest of body skin and bones...might be worthwhile running a wormer through all your ferts so you can tick that off the list. (Fleas/external parasites can transmit worms, plus might explain itching? Odd she's the only one though).

 

Really impossible to say what the prob is. Could be some sort of reaction to her diet? Too much red meat (beef) can be a bit rich, maybe she might improve on a diff dried food, some brands don't suit all ferts? I'd maybe ease off on the eggs in her diet, just a yolk every week/fortnight, chuck the egg white, this way she'll get all of the biotin in the egg yolk which is very beneficial for their skin/coat etc. A great food for putting on weight is Hills Prescription A/D, full of calories but very easy to digest. Mix about 50/50 with some tepid water, if she took half a 156g tin for 4-6 days that might help her pack on some weight.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180899305583&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

 

With the itching/sneezing, have you changed your washing detergent? Sometimes they can have a reaction to diff washing materials the bedding washed with? Might be worth giving her a good bath with a mild shampoo, or even Malaseb, great stuff for skin conditions/itching.

 

You'd think if she had some sort of intestinal blockage or whatever she wouldn't be so perky, but who knows, ferts are tough. The only real way you'll know what's up if they they open her up and have a look. So might be worth trying to eliminate all the other things worms/diet etc then you'll know you've done what you can before/if you decide to put her through the GA etc.

 

ATB, hope she recovers.

[happyferret123 13]

Thanks for all the replies guys,

 

 

"everything has a sell by date mate "

 

I understand this. Just want to make the rest of her life as happy as possible. The vet wasn't very optimistic, just realistic that she though Maisie would only have a couple of weeks/months left, I was just wanting her to be as comfortably as poss and I know many vets don't know much about ferrets and was just wondering she was perhaps missing something.

 

"One of my older ones was like that while her sisters just went bald from April till October her Stomache swelled up each year due to her age the vet didnt want to operate ,she outlasted the lot of them and died in her sleep in may aged 11 .It doesn't seem to bother them and they have a good quality of life right up till the end "

I can only hope this might be the same for mine then.

 

"i had this problem with a jill. put it down to problem with metabolism or hormones. was eating and acting fine. eventually got very skinny and pts. she wasnt a very decent worker so her future here was in question anyway. was still sad though. but very similar if indentical to your jill. "

I think I will just wait and see at the mo, won't pts unless she starts loosing the use of her limbs or she seems to be in pain. No Maisie is not the best worker my young'uns are way better workers so don't really use her much, just know they will be sad when she is gone- I will be too.

 

Odd that she's itching so much. The steriod has probably been given to provide an anti-inflammatory effect and to possibly relieve the itching if the vet thought it is significant? Did they mention any sort of skin irritation/little red lumps on her skin?

 

Sometimes a worm burden causes a pot belly and the rest of body skin and bones...might be worthwhile running a wormer through all your ferts so you can tick that off the list. (Fleas/external parasites can transmit worms, plus might explain itching? Odd she's the only one though).

 

Really impossible to say what the prob is. Could be some sort of reaction to her diet? Too much red meat (beef) can be a bit rich, maybe she might improve on a diff dried food, some brands don't suit all ferts? I'd maybe ease off on the eggs in her diet, just a yolk every week/fortnight, chuck the egg white, this way she'll get all of the biotin in the egg yolk which is very beneficial for their skin/coat etc. A great food for putting on weight is Hills Prescription A/D, full of calories but very easy to digest. Mix about 50/50 with some tepid water, if she took half a 156g tin for 4-6 days that might help her pack on some weight.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...me=STRK:MESE:IT

 

With the itching/sneezing, have you changed your washing detergent? Sometimes they can have a reaction to diff washing materials the bedding washed with? Might be worth giving her a good bath with a mild shampoo, or even Malaseb, great stuff for skin conditions/itching.

 

You'd think if she had some sort of intestinal blockage or whatever she wouldn't be so perky, but who knows, ferts are tough. The only real way you'll know what's up if they they open her up and have a look. So might be worth trying to eliminate all the other things worms/diet etc then you'll know you've done what you can before/if you decide to put her through the GA etc.

 

ATB, hope she recovers.

 

 

No haven't changed the washing powder ever, and she's always been all right with it before, and I always put it on the extra rinse cycle to make sure there is not much soap residue left.

Vets didn't really comment on the itching, gave the steroid shot to apparently make her intestines more comfortable with the diagnosis she suspected.

No bumps or sores on her, her skin is a little pinker than usual but i think that's just from her itching it.

Treated her again with frontline today just to make sure there is nothing on her I can't see-unlikely though as the other's are fine.

Never wormed them- Always thought the fur from rabbits were meant to flush out any worms, but I'll give it ago, what wormer's do you use?

Bought some tins of that stuff to see if it helps at all. Never heard of it before but can't do any harm- I'll try anything.

For years I have fed them on James Wellbeloved and not had any problems, can animals suddenly get allergy's to things they haven't before?

Only gave one egg a week anyway. Diet has remained the same, apart from since she has got thinner I feed both constant meat and biscuits when I used to feed in summer dry in day, meat over night. As I am a student and have finished now for the summer it means I can go out and feed meat every hour to encourage to eat more, I have separated my hob so I can keep an eye on how much she is eating, as my little Jill doesn't eat a massive amount anyway so it's easier to see who is eating it. She is still eating very well today, yet thin as ever.

Have always fed beef from time to time just upped it a little now she has got thinner. what is lamb like health wise as I know she would eat loads of that! Have plenty of chicken in freezer, just out of rabbit at the mo.

 

Very perky- been climbing around on the hammock, when she was in my room last night running around, playing in the tubes. Though I was giving her a break from my others thought she would like to come inside for a quiet sleep, but no chance of that happening!

[ferret100 47]

Leave the Frontline for now, an overdose won't help.

 

No, fur/feathers do not get rid of worms, would make life much easier if they did.

 

With regards to your vets opinion and the intestines sticking together...sounds like they might have described abdominal adhesions? Has you fert had surgery? Spaying etc?

 

Most prescribed steriods are mainly anti-inflammatories (as in this situation), it wouldn't help an adhesion, but help inflammation in the surrounding area depending on the problem, steriod and method it was administrated.

 

As for wormers best to discuss over the phone with treating vet (usually FOC for advice on wormers). Not prepared to suggest anything when your treating vet has seen her recently...their head on the line, not mine

 

Lamb is a fatty meat, too much work for a poorly jill. Think you've done good thing getting some a/d.

 

Yes, food allergies can develop over time.

 

Wish all the best for her and yourself. ATB.

[happyferret123 13]

She has been spayed a couple of years ago.

 

I'm a little worried that everything you have suggested has not been mentioned by my vet.

She said nothing about worms. Nothing about the itching. Didn't tell me to change the food.

Perhaps I should get a second check at an other vet.

I'll ask her about wormers.

 

There have been quite a few post on here about ferret worms and seems that a lot of people think that ferrets can't get worms due to having such a short digestive track- along with fur feather diet. I don't think there is an actually wormer licenced for ferrets; I think cat wormer's are used but I'll discuss that with my vet.

 

The only reason I'm suggesting red meat is I thought it was more fatty so by adding a bit of each of those meats into her diet could increase her weight quicker. Will just stick to the normal stuff then- got plenty of chicken in the freezer.

 

I'll give swapping the dry food a go. As I've said before I'll give anything a go, Just can't afford the surgery as my vet told me they can open her up which will cost hundreds probably to tell me there's nothing they can do.

[happyferret123 13]

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/160373-worming-tablets-for-ferrets/page__st__15

 

this post from a while ago someone needed to get wormer's for their ferrets and the vet told them that frontline does internal parasites too? Is this true? or is a worming tablet just for worms better?

[Brimmer 220]

Do what you can to try and sort the jill 123, we all hate seeing the critters go backwards.

 

Probably though, old age will be knocking on the door of the lass, you could spend hundreds of pounds giving her a better few years at best, but i feel the natural cycle of a ferret is probs 6-9 years at best, in the wild probs halve it.

 

When the weight drops off at these sort of years, they are usually way beyond what nature intended for them, and rareley bounce back.

 

Hope i am wrong, and hope the critter gets some form back.

[ferret100 47]

No, Frontline doesn't kill internal parasites/worms. Ferts might have a short digestive tract, but that doesn't make any difference to worms, they just need some nice gut to make a home in, and some digested fur etc isn't going to budge them.

 

With the itching/sneezing, who knows, maybe she's got a bit of Hayfever/pollen allergy, maybe she's doing it out of feeling unwell or something else...

 

Just mentioned not too much fatty meat as it is more difficult to metabolise, if she is unwell, best to give her an easy time. Good quality protein would be better than fat. The a/d you got is ideal, but no harm in small portions of lamb/beef now and then.

 

The vet has had your take on things and a quick exam of your jill. Internal problems can need investigation to find out whats going on, sometimes the symptoms/case history etc just aren't enough to make a diagnosis. Vets/surgeons etc need to cover their own ass, they can't promise you they can fix something if they aren't sure what they're going to find, plus vets don't tend to offer suggestions as it can come back to bite them, the whole 'but you told me to do this and it didn't work' scenario. Only thing to check is that the vet is an exotics vet and knows the front end of a fert from the back

 

Vet best to get wormer off, pretty much any wormer that doesn't need a prescription is a waste of money.

 

The only thing you can do for your jill is what you are doing, your best. ATB.

[happyferret123 13]

Phoned normal vet about the fact Maisie could have worms. Told me that ferrets don't get worms.

 

Went on Poo Patrol today...not a fun job, and found a worm in her poo! I don't know why I am so pleased, but hopefully it will mean she is ok once treated

 

Off to a different vets tomorrow. Will treat all three of my ferrets though the other's haven't got thin just to be on the safe side.

 

Thanks all you guys for all your help and Advice.

Especially ferret1000 really appreciate it! Just shows you can't always reply on the vet for everything. Best to listen to guys with knowledge!