Sarah, there are approaches to use for adrenal neoplasia which is the
single most common cause of such classic fur loss.  Surgery is usually
best but there are approaches for those who aren't surgical
candidates,too.  If you go to the FML Archives (The addy is in the header
of every day's FML and the Archives are very easy to use.) and you search
backwards from now through last year (and then in separate clumps for
ones before if you need those) for ADRENAL with a subject containing FROM
JM with the from line containing SUKIE you will find a pile of useful
info on medical approaches in case you need those while learning about
surgery or in case your ferret isn't a surgical candidate.
 
Most are surgical candidates, but it always pays to do pre-surgical
testing in case some surprises show up which would make surgery too
dangerous.  We've been there maybe twice and the money invested in pre-op
testing such as a CBC with Chemistry Panel or a heart check were well
spent.  The type of testing which usually doesn't make sense in this case
are ultrasound or the Tennessee Panel, but the TN Panel is WONDERFUL is
cases where the typical symptoms are not present.  (We might wind up
having to use the TN Panel on Sherman in the future since we aren't sure
about his right adrenal, and have had to stop the steroids which so well
controlled his IBD because he has to lose fat to be a good surgical
candidate if his unclear possible symptoms worsen or the panel shows
problems.)
 
Here are some places for easily found, helpful info (and even URLs of
ferret vet lists -- always a good thing to mention because every week
someone on the FML needs those):
 
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/aae.html
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html (FML Archives)
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
http://www.ferretcongress.org
(Click open the Critical Refs in menu on your left.)
 
I suspect that the only reason that the big stick worked in the case of
Ben Stiller was because they could just visualize the money that bad
publicity could cost them.  BS cuddling a ferret became useful good
publicity, i.e. a money maker.
 
Words are pretty empty without a big stick like money or votes behind
them.  If it can be figured out how to convince the CA politicians that
ferrets are a good profit center and a good vote getter then using the
big stick when they fail to take the needs of ferrets and ferret people
into account will work.  Otherwise, there is the risk of making enemies
of some neutral people who may be needed.  (On the other hand, DO work
your tails off to get the anti-ferret legislators dethroned!  Research
everything you can about them, look up all of their votes.  Tell anyone
who would have hated particular votes (not just the ones unfavorable to
ferrets) about their history on issues which are of importance to THOSE
groups.  Anger can be used in some very constructive ways and showing
that more which is bad than nasty words will come the way of those who
hurt ferrets simply makes sense.  Do the reverse for those who actively
support ferrets: find out which votes they have done which please certain
groups and make sure anyone you know who will be pleased by those votes
knows about them.  There are a number of ways to make politicians very
happy they supported ferrets or very sorry that they didn't, and finding
voting records to target recipients of the information is a great way to
start.)
[Posted in FML issue 4400]