Hi, everybody!! It's amazing how time flies. For weeks now I've
saved my printed copies of FML and only managed to read them after I have a
huge stack. Busy, busy, busy. But now that I'm caught up (except that my
issue 451 got cut off somehow -- could you send me another one, Chris?) I
have some stuff I want to answer to. I don't *think* I've missed anyone
having already said this stuff, but if I have -- sorry.
Katherine Fritz -- about your ferret (Molly?) with the enlarged
vulva. As I was reading your message concerning this, a little memory
twigged in my head; something I had heard at a ferret lecture at the last
student AVMA symposium, about `often a symptom is enlarged vulva in spayed
females'. I was pretty sure what disease that symptom went with, but I
double checked just in case -- sure enough, hyperadrenalcorticism, or
Cushing's syndrome. Not that it's necessarily that, but PLEASE make sure
your vet is aware of that possibility.
Vicki McConnell -- if you haven't already gotten lab normals from the
Fox book or somewhere else, let me know. I have some values from that same
SAVMA lecture I just mentioned.
Jenny Au -- are you a vet student? I thought maybe you were because
of your posting about the open house at Miss. State. I'm a first year at U.
of Illinois.
Seth Morabito -- about introducing your new ferret to your dog. As
far as the trauma goes, I'd tend to be more worried about the dog than the
ferret. Ferrets tend to be far too curious to think to be scared, at least
when it comes to other animals. When I introduced my 8 wk. old 1lb. ferret
to my roommates 65lb. shepherd/boxer mix, Trella (the ferret) was ready to
take Bailey (the dog) on in a heartbeat. They were friends from the word go.
They play all the time, and when Bailey closes her jaws just a little too
tight around Trella, Trella just grabs on to Bailey's lip, and Bailey gets
the message pretty quick (it's pretty hysterical to see this big ol' dog
yelping because of this tiny little carpet shark). So I wouldn't worry --
just introduce them gradually for the dog's sake, since she tends to be
jealous, but I'm sure it will be fine.
Now, about my own little one. We almost had a tragedy. The day I
came home from spring break (a Sunday), when I called the pre-vet student I
had entrusted with her care, she had been missing for 4 hours. She had lost
her collar/bell somehow and Toni hadn't replaced it, so there was no way to
tell by listening -- it was a matter of waiting for her to come out, since
turning the place upside down had yielded nothing. Meanwhile, the days
pass. Although I had heard all sorts of missing ferret recovery stories, by
Wednesday I had pretty much given up. The pet store was about to get in some
new Marshall Farms babies (I know, I know, but Trella turned out great, and I
have friends who've also had consistent good luck with them) and I was ready
to go ahead and splurge. Not that anyone was going to replace Trella, but I
was planning on getting another one in August anyway, so I figured why not a
few months earlier, in case Trella never shows up. But on Wednesday night as
I sat celebrating St. Patrick's Day at the campus Irish pub, Toni rushed in
and said they had found her. In a wall. For three days. Not that's it's
difficult to lose a ferret, but Toni probably won't be sitting for me again.
Trella was fine, only slightly thinner and VERY thirsty. Amazingly not
dehydrated enough to notice by her skin, though. Whew.
Now what about this green diarrhea virus thing? What's the real
story? I'm going to be working for Dr. Kawasaki in Woodbridge this summer,
and if this thing's bad around there, I'm not sure I want to subject Trella
to the risk. I know, I guess I should as Dr. Kawasaki himself, but trying to
reach the man by telephone is no easy trick! I'm really excited about
working for him, though, I should learn a lot.
Finally I think that's it for my update. Take care y'all.
Laura
Laura L'Heureux and Trella, too
U. of Illinois VM96
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[Posted in FML issue 0453]
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