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Thursday, July 30, 2009

Duck Soup aka Dook Soup

Yes, ANOTHER recipe to add to the mix! This one I have had success with and I would suggest anyone that had ferrets find a recipe for dook soup and alter it to fit the needs to their ferrets. If your ferrets are healthy, making a version of dook soup for them and feeding it to them as a treat (once you get them used to the taste) is something that I would recommend. The reason it simply: If your ferret already recognizes dook soup and views it as a treat, getting him or her to take it when he or she is sick is going to be far less stressful both for you and your ferret.

Here is what I put in my dook soup - and remember, you know your ferret and should alter the recipe according to his or her specific tastes and needs.

1 650g container greek yogurt (optional)
1 can pure pumpkin filling
1-2 cups high quality cat or ferret kibble, soaked.
2 large cans of high quality canned cat food such as Wysong's Au Jus line, or frozen raw food such as Red Cat Blue Dog or Stella and Chewy's (organs and bone). Keep in mind that many ferrets are not fond of beef, fish or lamb flavours. I find most success with chicken, turkey, rabbit and pheasant flavours.

*If making a raw soup, omit kibble. If transitioning to raw from kibble diets, gradually increase frozen raw and reduce kibble with each fresh batch. 

Puree together and freeze in Ice Cube Tray.
1 cube = 1 serving.

If you are like me and use a lot of soup, one batch will keep approximately 2 weeks in the fridge.

Heat before serving as most ferrets prefer warm dook soup (15-30 seconds in the microwave. If it is too hot, let cool or add water to cool slightly before serving and be sure to stir to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed, or mix with boiling water).

Feel free to add some oil (whatever oil your ferret prefers) and/or heavy cream to entice your ferret to try the soup, and feel free to adjust the recipe to the needs of your ferret - adding more pumpkin during shedding season or when if the ferret has a sore tummy.
Do not be deterred if your ferret does not take to the soup immediately; some ferrets have a strong kibble imprint and it take longer to warm up to the soup. You may find that it takes 4-5 introductions before some ferrets will try the soup, while others will take to it immediately

Dook soup can also be used to conceal certain medications and supplements such as glucosamine sulphate and prednisone.