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Treating Multiple Ferrets with Multiple Medications
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We're treating 11 ferrets for Helicobactor. Each ferret receives Amoxicillian, Metronidazole and Pepto Bismol orally twice a day. I use one 1cc syringe for each medication for each ferret - a total of 33 syringes per medication session. Of course, not all ferrets receive the same amount of medication, that would be too easy. Since this is a 21-day protocol, I had to come up with a system to give the right medications to the right ferret and to do so as quickly as possible.
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The first thing I did was to make a chart to keep medication amounts straight. The chart has the ferrets' names down one side and the medications across the top. Then I filled in the appropriate square with the appropriate medication amount. I stuck this to the cabinet door above where I fill syringes.
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I have little trinket baggies that measure about 1 1/2" by 2 1/2" that I purchased at a nationwide craft store in the jewelry making section for cheap. I wrote each ferret's initial on a baggie with a magic marker and as I fill syringes for that ferret, I stick them in that ferret's baggie.
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I place the baggies in juice glasses sorted by amount of medication. I have 3 groups, each receiving the same amount of medications in that group. Juice glasses are great to use because I can easily see the initial of the next baggie as I remove each one.
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I also take a plastic food container with me to place used syringes and empty baggies for washing afterward.
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To clean and dry, I take the stoppers out of the syringes, rinse the parts and place them in a very large ice tea glass that contains antibacterial dishwashing liquid and hot water. I place my palm over the open end of the glass and shake vigorously. I rinse the syringes and place them on clean paper toweling to dry.
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I rinse out the baggies and open them. I place them over cooking skewers that I've stuck in styrofoam to dry. I then wash out the rest of the items I've used.
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It's easy to see who has had their medications and I don't get medications confused with this system. It takes me about an hour from putting the syringes back together to washing everything afterward to medicate the 11 ferrets in our care.
Ferrets generally don't like Pepto, but they like Metronidazole even less. I give each ferret Pepto first, Metronidazole next, and then Amoxicillian. This order of medications seems to work best for us.
This system really works great for us. We had a couple ferret friends visiting who thought this was a terrific idea, watched my system closely in case they ever needed to use it, and thought others might find the idea useful also, as most ferret owners have multiple ferrets.
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