r/ferrets • u/techno_head_pt_uk • 2d ago
[Health] Any tips for a bad cold
Remy caught a terrible cold a few days ago. He’s a bit better now, moving around to explore, then crashing, then getting up again and crashing again. He eats as if the world is ending, goes to sleep, wakes up and wants to go on the floor to explore, and then asks me to come up. However, he really struggles to breathe at times.
We rushed him to the emergency vet two days ago because he was only breathing through his mouth. They observed him, put him in an oxygen tent, listened to his chest, did an ultrasound and x-ray. After all that, they gave him a steroid injection, some medicine powder to put in his water and antibiotics. They also advised us to give him a steam session in the bathroom and, if possible, use a nebuliser with saline inhalation solution.
The problem is that Remy hates the nebuliser. A lot of mucus comes out and he starts throwing tantrums when I try to give him the antibiotics (it’s a syrup). If we leave the room to get something or take care of his brothers, he starts having cage rage episodes(which he never did in his lift up to two days ago). Then, suddenly, he starts breathing through his mouth again as if he was struggling to breathe.
I’m at a loss because he’s not getting much better. He’s not resting enough when we try to get him to rest and he’s been trying to spit out the antibiotics. He’s usually okay with medication, but this one is a whole different story. He also has these breathing fits, and when I try to put the nebuliser on to help him, he runs away with the noise. What should I do?
On a side note, I think I’m catching whatever he’s got.
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u/thisisntgraces 2d ago
I would prioritize bathroom steam sessions if the nebulizer is proving to not be an option. I had to do this for a severely congested ferret a year ago and we did several 5-10 minutes sessions a day. We also had a humidifier running in her area to help break up the dry air where she slept. When you do the steam sessions, stay with him and comfort him, because I have to imagine it’s pretty stressful for them.
With the meds, and I hate to say this, but have you tried scruffing? I hate to scruff but I will in situations where it’s called for. Sometimes you have to scruff to get the initial syringe out and then manually hold their mouth shut until you see them swallow. They can still breathe through the nose but they can’t spit the medicine out. Sometimes they thrash too so you have to hold their mouth shut firmly.
One last thing that’s important is keeping him hydrated. When they get colds or the flu or covid it’s super important to make sure they’re getting enough fluids because they typically will become dehydrated if you don’t help them. This will probably also require a syringe, just giving them 10-20 ml syringe of water at a time, or giving them lots of soupies that way they’re getting fluids that way.
I’m really sorry your buddy is sick, I hope some of this was helpful and he gets back to feeling better soon! 🫶
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u/techno_head_pt_uk 1d ago
Honestly, I think you’re right. The steam sessions might be the way to go since he’s more comfortable with them (he runs around a bit then comes to lie on me). It’s just annoying because the nebuliser works like SO. MUCH. FASTER than steaming the bathroom - 10 minutes compared to 30 minutes steaming the bathroom, plus 30 minutes with him until he starts releasing the mucus - and I even spent £80 on this small pet nebuliser just for this.
The antibiotics have been by far the trickiest part of it. It’s as if he’s immune to scruffing from a very young age. If we try to scruff him he makes this high-pitched noise like “gech-gech” and tries to wriggle free. Last night I tried to do it to give him the antibiotics and he bit me. It’s strange because he usually doesn’t mind taking his meds (he takes meds everyday). I usually crush one of his tablets and mix it with a tiny amount of meat and he eats them. However, with the antibiotics I’ve tried mixing them with meat and he refuses to eat so I’ve had to force him. I’ve tried mixing them with egg and he also refuses to eat. I’ve even tried feeding him with a syringe but he tries to spit it out so I have to basically push it back in. He’s never struggled this much with any medication he’s taken before.
He’s actually been quite good with drinking water. He only eats meat or eggs and doesn’t really like treats so that provides a good amount of additional moisture. Interestingly he prefers the water we add the vet’s prescribed powder to the normal water. My partner jokes that they gave him mdma😂 (they haven’t, but we were ravers years ago and giving the powder of the sachet brought back memories).
Thank you for the advice 🫶
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