Jonathan Adams asks:
 
> Subject: any ferrets make it through life healthy?
 
> I have been reading this list for a while now and have noticed
> something.  It seems like an awful high percentage of ferrets get > sick and
die at all ages.  Now this may be like the news: only bad
> stuff is consistenly reported.  But I was wondering do ferrets ever > lead a
basically ill-free life until death?
 
        Jonathan, many do.  The concentration of posts about various health
problems are increased ont he FML because there is a veterinarian aboard, and
people are comfortable with discussing health problems.  Ferrets have as many
health problems as other animals, probably no more, if you average it out over
the life of the animal (dogs living 15-17 years, and cats up to 19).  Remember
also that msot ferret owners have over two, and some up to thirty or forty, and
the ferret lifespan is about seven years or so, so you run into a lot of these
problems much more ferequently than with dog and cat owners.
 
       Bruce Williams, DVM                 Department of Veterinary Pathology
       [log in to unmask]         Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
       (202) 576-2453/2454                 Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
 
[Posted in FML issue 0943]