Betty wrote:
>  ... together in the most recent issue of the Costco Connection magazine!
>There is a lovely picture of the two of them with their ferts.  The article
>is one of many discussing couples who are in business together.
 
Sounds like Costco is recycling their old article series on Costco members
with unusual businesses.  They flag things about members, and now and then
they select a theme and write about members.
 
Michelle wrote:
>Would ear mites chew on a ferrets tail and make it loose it's hair?
>It just doesn't make sense.
 
Ferrets often curl up with their tails around their heads; sometime then
ear mites move to the tail where they can survive for a while and sup
there.  When this happens the fur damage is not from the mites chewing
there, but from the ferrets chewing out the mites.  There might still be
an adrenal growth, but it usually doesn't hurt to wait a bit and see if a
simpler solution works.  If something gives you pause about doing so then
realize that sometimes what we each know of an individual (usual behavior,
usual smell, etc.) are important pieces of information that have to go into
a final choice.  We rushed with Meltdown because of her smell and for her
that was a smart move.  Have waiting with some others for medical reasons
at the vets' advising without any problems resulting.  Meltdown just plain
smelled very wrong, though.
 
Lisa, Phenobarbital can be helpful for some little ones.  Had to use it
once for a little one having grande mal seizures from insulinomae along
with her other medical problems which included cardiomyopathy.  It did help
her and add quality of life.  Best of luck to you all; it sounds like a
very rough situation.  It's a med for only very special situations but then
can be useful.
 
Randy wrote about the youth giving Ferret Lax to the shelter ferrets:
>He innocently turns around and says" I'm lactating the ferrets
>like Randy told me to".
 
LOL!
 
Has anyone got a ferret who tries to nurse?  Years ago Meltdown used to try
to do it on and off her entire life.  Ashling who is also grey furred with
white mitts (though her's aren't cleanly mitts), came into our family after
Meltdown had passed away and she does it, too.  Ouch!  Incisors!
 
Anonymous should join the genetics groups and read over old posts on that
topic, but it must be realized that until people submit enough data there
are a lot of hypotheses out there.  It would also help for Anonymous to
read back FML issues using the keyword "genetics" for the search feature.
Yes, of course, there ARE genetic problems which have appeared.  Heck,
Violet taught us all some more about one today when she wrote further about
Wilson Disease.  In the past there have been lifespan issues with relation
to Waardensberg head markings, intestinal damages in relation to stump
tail, cataracts, circulatory damage, and a number of other things
discussed.
[Posted in FML issue 3161]