Does ferrets make a sound like a whispered "heeh" when they cough?  Ramie
has been a little less playful / more sleepy than usual.  Last nite he was
making the "heeh" sound lying in his hammock, and seemed uncomfortable;
this a.m.  too.  I thought it was gagging, like when cats try to get rid
of a hairball.  Brought him to vet this a.m., and he found slightly
swollen lymph nodes in armpits and groins & maybe throat that hadnt been
that way in early Sept when we were in.  The ferret wouldn't "heeh" for
him, of course, but he said his guess was that Rame had been coughing.
Said he guessed he had a little something viral, which would explain the
lymph nodes, and that it could be like tonsilitis (except he wasnt sure
if ferrets have tonsils...)
 
The ferret is still eating (and pooping) heartily and is playful, tho at
shorter intervals than usual.  Some of us humans *were* fighting a flu or
cold a week or so ago, altho we never really succombed to it...
 
The doc recommended giving it some time to see if it runs its course, as a
cold/flu (which is it ferrets get from us?) would, but to bring him right
back if he starts getting worse.  In that case, we could treat with
antibiotics, anesthetize and look at his throat, aspirate lymph glands
etc.
 
Any responses to this advice?
 
  --------
I was speaking on the phone to a friend who lives in California.  She
has never even seen a ferret.  She runs a bookstore, and says their best
selling calendar by far is a ferret calendar!  Isnt that cool?  Isnt there
a ferret calendar whose proceeds are going toward the effort to legalize?
Hope that's it!
 
  --------
Hope you are all well and that your ferreties are all well and, as always,
i REALLY appreciate your advice.
 
---shen
 
================
Justice - not revenge
[Posted in FML issue 3582]