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Grainy poop - Saturday, July 26, 2014 9:35 PM
I have changed my ferret's food from Marshal kibble to cat kibble from vet's suggestion, I have noticed that his poop is now more mushy and seems to have grains (little white seed like) in it. Is that normal, should I go back to his marshal food? My other ferret will not eat the cat kibble and his poop is more normal. I changed the food about 5 days ago. Please help!
Mama to Sherlock & Watson
whiskandbowl

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Re:Grainy poop - Sunday, July 27, 2014 12:13 AM
What did you change to? How long did you mix the new food in with the old?

Ferrets: Wesley, Percy, Owen    -rip Bandit-
Bettas- Kitty, Pip, and Logan
Sun Conure- Kita
Gerbils- Piper and Tailer
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Re:Grainy poop - Sunday, July 27, 2014 8:58 PM
I changed his food 5 days ago, and the vet told me to mix his Marshal food with the new one a little every day until on the fifth day it's only the new one. I find that a little too fast but did that way anyway.
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unclejoe
Re:Grainy poop - Sunday, July 27, 2014 10:07 PM
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whiskandbowl

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Re:Grainy poop - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 9:42 AM
I would agree that that is too fast. I usually advocate switching over a minimum 2 week period. 

Seedy poop indicates undigested fast so my guess (i'm not a vet!) is that it's just moving through his system a bit too quickly.

Ferrets: Wesley, Percy, Owen    -rip Bandit-
Bettas- Kitty, Pip, and Logan
Sun Conure- Kita
Gerbils- Piper and Tailer
whiskandbowl

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Re:Grainy poop - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 9:47 AM
unclejoe


Seedy poops are common when changing to a better diet with more protein and fat.  Can I ask what you are switching to?





This is from a separate thread


my food is, Hill's Prescription diet - m/d Feline weight loss - low carbohydrate- glucose management.



TBH, I don't see how this food is any better than Marshalls. The Guaranteed Analysis checks out okay, and I like that it gives the carb count (17%), but the ingredients in this food are less than ideal. There's only 2 meat ingredients in the first 6, and they aren't ideal ones at that.
Unfortunately, many vets are not well educated in nutrition, and even less knowledgeable about ferret nutrition. Many receive kickbacks for selling Hills/Science diet brand foods as well. Not saying this is the case here, but it's something to keep in mind.

Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat, Brewers Rice, Wheat Gluten, Powdered Cellulose, Pork Protein Isolate, L-Lysine, Chicken Liver Flavor, Lactic Acid, Whole Grain Corn, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, Calcium Carbonate, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, DL-Methionine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Carnitine, L-Arginine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Phosphoric Acid, Beta Carotene, Natural Flavors.

Ferrets: Wesley, Percy, Owen    -rip Bandit-
Bettas- Kitty, Pip, and Logan
Sun Conure- Kita
Gerbils- Piper and Tailer
unclejoe
Re:Grainy poop - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 11:56 AM
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Re:Grainy poop - Saturday, August 02, 2014 11:33 PM
Ok, so, what should I use? In my area, there's not much choices, either at the vet or at the pet shop for Marshal. Does this mean that they will get sick? They have something else at the vet, canned food, but they don't like it at all and also something else, I will have to check, but again design for cats.
Mama to Sherlock & Watson
unclejoe
Re:Grainy poop - Sunday, August 03, 2014 8:27 AM
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Zoetic

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Re:Grainy poop - Sunday, August 03, 2014 9:06 AM
The Petsmart where we are carries the Wellness Core for kittens and cats, and that seems to have been a good switch for our two from Marshalls - they really enjoy it and the poop issues only lasted a short time. 

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