Personally, I prefer to bring ferrets home after surgery.
 
I'm usually present for the surgery and I usually hold the ferret as he
wakes up from the anesthesia.  I hang around the vet's office for at least
an hour to be sure the fuzzy is good & awake.
 
I don't like to leave a post op ferret at a vet's clinic overnite.  They've
already been without food for at least four hours before the surgery.  Post
op ferrets usually feel pretty lousy & just want to sleep.  They may not
want to eat for another 6 to 8 hours.... By then, the clinic is closed
and the food bowl is way across the cage, and it's probably A/D.  (which
is great if your ferret likes A/D, many don't) So they may not trouble
themselves to get up and try to eat for another 6 to 8 hours.  If you've
been counting, it's up to 20 hours without putting anything on this
probably queasy tummy.  Many clinics have someone who comes in to check on
critters at midnite (mine does, but I still don't leave them there)... but
is it someone who's aware that ferrets must eat every 4 hours?  Will they
fix soup (or warm up soup you've prepared & left with them) and take the
time to hand feed your ferret?
 
It has been my experience that ferrets recover much more quickly from even
the most invasive surgeries when they begin eating (even if it's only soup)
within 4 hours after surgery.  I've been told by several vets that it won't
hurt them to not eat until the next day after the surgery... but again....
In my experience, they recover more quickly when they do.
 
If no one is going to be at the clinic overnite, I fail to understand how
leaving him there is "safer" than bringing him home.  At least, at home,
there's someone who can call & wake the vet up at 3am when the fuzzy had
a sudden violent itch that broke a stitch loose.
 
Debi Christy
Ferrets First Foster Home
[Posted in FML issue 3125]