Parenteral Nutrition Support in Rabbits and Ferrets

Proper nutrition and maintenance of a positive energy balance are crucial to an animal’s health. Parenteral nutrition is a medical technique that uses intravenous solutions for nutritional support. Parenteral nutrition has been used to successfully provide nutritional support in ferrets and rabbits for more than a decade at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals–Angell Animal Medical Center. The basis for providing nutritional support and the technical expertise is similar to providing proper nutritional support to dogs and cats, with some differences in protein intake depending on whether the patient is a carnivore (ferret) or herbivore (rabbit). This article describes parenteral nutrition and techniques used to provide nutritional therapy for the ferret and rabbit patient.

Key words: parenteral nutrition, rabbit, ferret, resting energy requirement, lipids, amino acids