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Treatment

Experimentation with the ferret's diet will likely be undertaken to see if the condition subsides with modifications. In most cases, the regurgitation will require ongoing therapy, including electrolyte fluid therapy, medication to improve gastric motility and tone, and antibiotics to fight off any infection. If no specific underlying cause is identified, the veterinarian's goal will be to minimize risk of aspiration (contents entering the lungs).
 

Living and Management

Monitor for the development of aspiration pneumonia; i.e., signs of fever, cough, nasal discharge. A high-calorie gruel formulated from meat-based human baby food may be recommended. When feeding the ferret, it should be placed in an upright position (at a 45- to 90-degree angle to floor) and maintained in that position for 10 to 15 minutes after feeding. Ferrets with severe regurgitation, however, may require a feeding tube.