[wp_ad_camp_1]
I used to be rather skeptical about natural remedies but when my ferrets developed certain cancers, I did try to add certain items to their diet, like colloidal silver.
However when I was in France in June ’07, I saw for myself what a naturopathic vet could do for a sick animal. A cat belonging to friends of my sister got feline AIDS and looked like it was going to die. The owners took him to a naturopathic vet and after several weeks, this cat looked like he did before his illness. I saw him when he had recovered and I couldn’t believe that this cat was the one my sister had been crying about, thinking he wouldn’t be around when I arrived. He really was the picture of health.
When I got back home, our 8 year-old BEW girl, Kaos, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. I decided that I would supplement the medication she got from our vet with some TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).
You can read about it all in Kaos’s Story.
Natural Remedies for Ferrets
[wp_ad_camp_2]
I have been trying out different types of supplements to add in my guys’ smoothie to keep them as strong and (I hope), as cancer-free, as possible. At the time of writing (06/2015), I have a girl, Mojo, who has both adrenal & liver disease.
I was putting black seed oil in the smoothie but when I read about oleocanthal, an ingredient in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, I decided to try that instead. It might be just a coincidence but since I’ve been adding that to their smoothie, Mojo, has been so sprightly and full of beans! I have fingers crossed that the smoothie keeps her well for as long as possible!
My vet had told me to bring her home and make her comfortable as she thought that the most Mojo would last would be a week. I’m happy to say that with my smoothie, Mojo was with us for just over 18 months and she was her usual idiotic state during that time!
This smoothie recipe was one I was making a few months ago (around June 2015) …
My Smoothie Recipe (2015)
1/2 cup of No Lactose milk
one free-range egg yolk
2 drops Astaxanthin
1/8th teaspoon Camu Camu powder (Vitamin C)
1/8th teaspoon powdered Curcumin / Organic Turmeric *
1/8th teaspoon powdered Boswellia serrata (Indian frankincense)
Put the no lactose milk in a jug, add the supplements and egg yolk and whisk together with an electric beater/whisk so that all the powder gets mixed into the milk really well. Serve at room temperature ?
NB* Curcumin thins the blood so if your ferret is scheduled for surgery, please talk to your vet about when to stop putting it in the smoothie.
** When Dash was ill and on prednisone, I added 3 drops of Milk Thistle to the smoothie. I asked the vet who gave Dash his ultrasound and confirmed it was lymphoma if I could have milk thistle to give him when he was on pred so she prescribed Herbal Authority Silymarin Milk Thistle 500mg. I was told to give him 3 drops twice a day.
But please remember … medicinal herbs shouldn’t be used for extended periods of time.
Gregory L Tilford and Mary L Wulff explain in their book entitled Herbs for Pets: The Natural Way to Enhance your Pet’s Life: “Despite much of the publicity that has been generated about this ‘wonder herb’, milk thistle should not be used as a daily food supplement. Milk thistle is a medicine that is best reserved for situations in which the liver is already under abnormal stress.”
Most holistic doctors feel that milk thistle should be administered for 3-6 weeks with a 1-3 week break.
I felt so drained when Mojo left us and then Kimiko refused to eat or drink so she had to be taken to her final vet’s visit soon after that I felt I couldn’t have more ferrets due to severe heartache ?
However that feeling only lasted a few weeks and then I began wishing I had some running around to cheer me up! Fortunately WAFFS Rescue had just received two 6 month old brothers so I was the lucky person to give them a new home ?
Misha and Grisha have brought me so much laughter and love that I can’t believe I ever thought I couldn’t have more ferrets in my life! But after they’d been with me for a few month’s I noticed Grisha’s tail looking a bit ratty ?
So this is what I’m giving the boys in their smoothie these days (November 2019)
My Smoothie Recipe (2019)
1/2 cup of No Lactose milk
1 whole liquid capsule of Astaxanthin
10 drops of Organic Turmeric Extract
5 drops of Adrenal Support by Herb Pharm
5 drops of Lymphatonic Professional Strength by Herbs Etc
Put the no lactose milk in a jug, add the supplements and egg yolk and whisk together with an electric beater/whisk so that everything gets mixed into the milk really well. Serve at room temperature!
I am also aware of many people who do ferret out (sorry, couldn’t resist that ?) natural remedies for their sick ferrets and I thought it would be great for us all to be able to share our experiences, thoughts, advice and opinions.
Therefore I would be delighted if people would write down their stories so that we will all able to learn what might, or might not, be best for our sick ferrets together!
I’m also keen to add names of vets who have a “holistic” approach to treating ferrets as and when I come across them. Please let me know of any names of naturopathic vets you’ve come across who’ve helped your pet/s. I’m sure other owners who are searching for a natural course of treatment for their sick ferrets would be very grateful if that information is shared.
I’m looking forward to having a great community of different ideas, opinions and information, with everyone sharing what they trust will be of help to other people’s sick ferrets!
I was recently asked by an experienced ferret owner what to do with a rescued girl that she took in and who was a fear biter. I gave her my thoughts on how to train her ferret and then thought about Bach Rescue Remedy as I heard that it worked on nervous ferrets.
I haven’t tried it on any of my ferrets but if anyone has a highly-strung ferret, perhaps you might find it’ll help to calm them. If you do try it, I’d really appreciate it if you let me know if it helped or not ?
Links to Holistic Sites for Ferrets
You can download the pdf which explains the benefit of Astaxanthin HERE.
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page…
Mix Gerber’s chicken and gravy baby food with water to make a soup and give to them twice a day, but also leave hard food out for them — preferable Blue Wilderness chicken for cats. This should keep them healthy.
I’ve had 9 ferrets and have only been to the vet twice in the past 6 years! Once to put my oldest 10 to sleep because he had pain when urinating and he was too elderly for an operation; and one younger ferret because she has some calcium stones in her bladder and had to get antibiotics.
Make sure it is Opti MSM as the processing of the MSM makes a major difference in the quality. Also most ferret food and cat food use peas as the binder — this causes calcium stones so Blue Wilderness chicken cat food in the bag is the best bet.
The ferrets must have a wet protein as well — Gerber chicken and gravy with water is the purest protein, with no fruits or veggies added (which ferrets cannot digest).
You have to usually feed them off your fingers to start them on the baby food to get them used to it but after that they go crazy for it 😀
(Lisa B)
TheChocandBlancShow
Hi,my female ferret Blanca has adrenal disease that has quieted down since using several supplements on a daily basis and darkening her room
Advice Needed
2 weeks ago, my 2 year old ferret Butters somehow injured himself and wasn’t putting any weight on his font paw and was basically army crawling around. …
Rosie
My little Rosie is losing weight so fast and will not eat, just water. Now she’s starting to fall over, I have no money to take her to a Vet. Is there …
FLEAS, AHHHHHHHHH!
I was stroking my ferret, and a little flea appears in his coat. Do You Have Any Flea Treatments For Ferrets?
Nursing Sick Ferrets
In the last year my 2 elderly ferrets (now 7 and 6 1/2yrs) have had bouts of illness that without intensive nursing and care would have seen them not survive …
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a 7-8 year old albino ferret named China. As you can probably understand she is old. But my main concern is that she has been losing hair on her …
UH OH
My albino ferret has been losing his fur. At first I thought it was due to seasonal shedding, but soon he started losing fur on his back and stomach. …
My poor little Noni
Noni is about 8 years old and and has developed a small bubble on his ear and according to a on call vet she thought it could be a tumor. I am unsure if …
TheChocandBlancshow
Hi,my female ferret Blanca has adrenal disease that has quieted down since using several supplements on a daily basis and darkening her room. She readily …
The wonders of canned pure pumpkin
I have three ferrets. My oldest has had stomach problems from day one. She would alternate between diarrhea and regular stools every few days. All my …
my ferret Figgy and cancer
I just want to tell you guys about my ferret Figgy who had cancer basically throughout her entire body. She was 3.5 yrs old and I had her diagnosed …
Sick Ferrets natural remedies
I’d like to make sure that everyone knows I am not a vet. Just a ferret lover. When my Fluffy was diagnosed with Insulinoma at the age of 6yrs, my vet …
please help!!!!
I share my home with 6 wonderful ferrets – my Lemmy is 2-1/2 years of age. He recently has developed these sores around his mouth and nose. The vet …
…..JULIAN’S COMEBACK…..
WHEN we brought Julian home in Sept ’07, 5 months ago, she was in very bad shape and little was known about her history aside from a girl dropped her off …
Herbal remedies from Azmira
Abby, my female albino ferret is about 7 years old. Several years ago she started losing her fur, her vulva was enlarged and she had that pot-belly. She …
Insulinoma and Essiac Tea……
Imp is my 6 year old Marshall Farms ferret who was diagnosed with insulinoma several months ago. I’m very familiar with insulinoma and not at all happy …
homeopathic ferret
I would like to add a link to a newly formed group for those with interest in homeopathic ferret treatment. practices, and herbal aids in general. homeopathicferret@ya …
Caspar’s story
My 7 year old albino male called Caspar developed lymphoma last year. The vet said there was nothing to be done as the cancer was in a very difficult …
Since I’m not longer with SBI, I can’t have a comment section laid out like I did. However I do hope you’ll still write comments in the comment box and it would be great if other readers would also put their comments down. Please don’t think that I’m the only one who should reply to comments 😀
DISCLAIMER: I would stress that this site is not run or written by vets! The stories here are just shared experiences of ordinary ferret owners who are keen to help, or have helped their sick ferrets with alternative remedies.The information contained on this page is not meant to replace seeing a veterinarian if you think your ferret is ill.And I would strongly recommend you check with your vet before you use any natural remedies on your ferret, just in case it does something to stop your vet’s medical treatment from working properly!
This content was originally published here.
