If it wasn't the natural conclusion from reading my post today on tips
for people who are new to ferrets I want to just plainly state that I am
not a vet.
 
I am a co-moderator of the Ferret Health List and was asked to be one
by Dr. Bruce Williams, am active with the International Ferret Congress
as an advisor, and am a long-standing member of the FML and of
Ferret-Genetics.  My own education is similar to that of some other very
vocal people here on the FML in that I have a strong background in
biology and some graduate credits.  Pointer: if you don't know for sure
the educational background of a list participant remember that not all
mentions, claims, or rumors on that regard are true, no matter how often
they are repeated.  For instance, once I began checking I wound up
finding several FML people on two continents who either are widely
thought to have backgrounds that are better than they actually have, or
who have at times claimed educational backgrounds or even degrees which
they don't have.  (In fact, in one case across the pond there were two
combatants about one point in health care and when checking was done both
of them made falsely inflated claims about their educational backgrounds.
LOL!)  Those are people beyond the FALSE mentions -- made by someone
else years ago -- that she "knew" that I was a vet who preferred to be
incognito.  Nope.  Not so.  (That actually got a bit strange for a little
while; I was even getting notes from the person saying that she "knew"
that so I might as well admit it.)  Not so.  I am not a vet, and I can
assure you that I know for sure that I am not a vet.  Still, it is useful
to know that sometimes a third party comment about someone's educational
level can be wrong either from error, gullibility, or supposition as
hers obviously were.  The reality is that I have a background (both
educational and 24+ years with ferrets) and a personal group of
references which allow me to at times somewhat critically assess some
comments by real experts like those listed in my other post and then ask
the questions which help me learn, but I do NOT know more than ferret
vets in relation to ferret medicine.  I may have heard of some new
advances and new hypotheses but I have gaps in my education which simply
do not make me the equal of a vet, and that is true for any non-vet.
Just a plain truth.  Ditto anyone with the degrees in other ferret
related biological fields such as Tom Willard whose doctorate is in
veterinary nutrition, or pharmacists or pharmacognocists for their
medical expertise.  Those of us who don't share their background also
don't know as much as they do in their areas of expertise -- including
me.  Having strong points is not the same as being an expert.
 
So, again -- no, I am not a vet.  That is something I repeat pretty
regularly (probably an average of about once a month), as i do my own
background and level of education, but that is just me since I figure
that is only fair to fellow list members so that they have a better base
for assessing my posts.  Over the years -- after being too gullible
myself for a while -- I have become a big one for using a grain of salt
and urging others to use a grain of salt when reading posts.  It's simply
safer.
 
Play time: ours have most of any 24 period with free run and play in a
large portion of our home.  They also have very, very dark places to take
naps during that time, most on them under covered furniture with bedding
underneath and also in covered carry cages with hammocks inside.  In
addition, each gets his or her own time alone outside the area as well
as time with other ferrets.  All of that time and parts of the time in
the larger room also involve interaction with us so that they get hours
of human interaction and play time, too, each day when it is added up.
Ferrets are very intelligent and have a strong need for a lot of play and
a lot of interaction for optimal physical and emotional health.  It is
always good to know and teach others that ferrets are not a spectator
sport and they are not a pocket pet (a term which itself leads to
questionable practices even for those animals who come closer to the
term).
 
BTW, we had several appointments recently.  Thanks to imaging and other
tests we know that Mornie and Hilbert continue to remain without bladder
or kidney cystine stones (for close to a year so far) after their
protein reduction to 35% protein diet which is a great relief since the
medications used for cystine stone formation when diet changes don't
work carry the potential for some serious side effects.  The imaging on
Hilbert wasn't clear at first so he got extra tests, but luckily the
slightly dense looking patch was just an artifact.  No one knows how many
domestic ferrets get cystine stones or exactly why yet, though it will be
a minority, but luckily in talking with those who have such ferrets most
respond well to having a lower protein diet than they had been eating.
I know of only two who had to use the medications, so what we are
encountering is pretty standard for what others also are finding.  Of the
two exceptions one I know about through a veterinary journal article and
I do not know the long-term outcome.  The second thrived through life on
the medications but did get regular vet check-ups.  If someone else out
there has an exception I'd like to know more, please.  There is a study
on-going on cystine stones in ferrets which vets should know about.
Dr. Michelle Hawkins VMD DABVP (Avian) is coordinating this effort and
can be reached at: 2108 Tupper Hall, University of CA, Davis, CA 95616;
1-530-752-1363 (phone); <[log in to unmask]>.
 
We also had routine ADV tests run -- blood to United.  All four of ours
were clear of ADV.  These tests are important because ADV is not always
spotted readily and it does change the responses to some medical problems
and test results, plus when those with positive households know then they
can protect others better from contagion by using the sorts of steps
found in places like the ADV discussion list or the websites on ADV.  It
is not a diagnosis which needs to lead to an emotional over-reaction by
outside parties (though it too often does) but it is one which should
lead to logical responses just as any other disease present should.  This
disease seems to have been entered into the domestic ferret population
from fur mink, but since it has been found in one area in the wild it may
be either that those animals got it from mink or domestic ferrets, or it
might be a pre-existing wild disease which had gone unnoticed.  (BUT that
is speaking from NOT having the latest info so those people who do keep
very up to date on this disease such as Danee or Yvonne may well have
things to add or corrections to make to my notes here.)
[Posted in FML issue 4863]