My 7 year old ferret was diagnosed with insulinoma a couple days ago. He has always been on some form of kibble and the last couple years it has been Marshalls Senior Formula. Ever since he's been in my care since he was a baby he has been a very picky eater. When we would give him and his sister treats he never excepted them not even kibble from our hands. Researching the disease I read that they need a very high protein diet, something that Marshalls does not supply, and a grain free wet kitten food was suggested. So right now I have Blue Buffalo Wilderness grain free wet kitten food that he hasn't touched. I'm not sure the proper feeding schedule for a ferret with insulinoma but as always have food always available for him and he hasn't touched it. He is on glucose medications and medicines to coat his GI tract (because he had dark stools.) and has also been a little dehydrated. The vet has been feeding him (from his hospital stay) his marshalls kibble mixed with water. Should I continue that or try to get him to eat the wet kitten food or both? And how many times a day?

Is your little one imprinted on Chicken/Duck Soup?

http://miamiferret.org/duck_soup.htm


> I'm not sure the proper feeding schedule for a ferret with insulinoma but as always have food always available for him and he hasn't touched it.


He's not feeling well.  Personally I would not change his food until he starts eating and feeling better.  You are just going to stress him out more.

Black tarry poop - Very suggestive of gastric bleeding and usually associated with gastric ulcers. You have to have significant bleeding in the stomach for the feces to turn black. The black color is the result of digestion of blood, which usually only occurs in the stomach. http://miamiferret.org/poop_chart.htm


I would get some carafate for him.  Feed him the carafate 15 minutes before he eats.  Sometimes the vet will also give the amoxicillin along with the carafate.   Carafate coats the ulcer  (band-aid) so that your little one can eat.   Then you can give him his preds.

The most important thing for a ferret with insulinoma to do is eat.  Therefore, if he isn't eating the new food, you should return to the old food, even if it doesn't have as much protein and fat as the new food.

One of the things that helped our insulinomic ferrets was to put multiple food bowls throughout the cage, to entice eating, and to make it easier for them to get food when their BG is low.   I'd even sprinkle a few pieces of kibble into their sleep sack or hammock while they were sleeping, to help promote eating.

During play time, I always have soupies available for them to eat (this is for both my insulinomic and non-insulinomic ferrets)

you may be able to make the switch in steps.  try grinding the kibble (we us a coffee grinder) and add water to make a thing mush.  try to get him to lick it off your finger.  if you can get him to like wet soups you can try adding the cat food a little at a time

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD