http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21696122

>J Vet Dent. 2011 Spring;28(1):8-15.
>Oral examination results in rescued ferrets: clinical findings.
>
>Eroshin VV, Reiter AM, Rosenthal K, Fordham M, Latney L, Brown S,
>Lewis JR.
>
>Source
>Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania,
>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6010, USA.
>
>Abstract
>Ferrets have increased in popularity as pets, and a growing number are
>seen in companion animal practice. Domestic ferrets are commonly used
>as animal models for research of human oral conditions. The present
>study evaluated the prevalence of oral pathology in rescued ferrets
>which - to the authors' knowledge - has not yet been described in the
>scientific literature. Conscious oral examination was performed on
>63 ferrets, of which 49 underwent general anesthesia for further
>examination. The most common clinical findings included malocclusion
>of mandibular second incisor teeth (95.2%); extrusion of canine teeth
>(93.7%); and abrasion and attrition of teeth (76.2%). Tooth fractures
>were exclusively associated with canine teeth and found in 31.7% of
>ferrets. Pulp exposure was confirmed in 60.0% of fractured teeth.
>[Sukie Note: that is in about 19% of the total number of ferrets when
>you multiple 31.7% by 60%] The normal gingival sulcus depth measured
> <0.5-mm in 87.8% of anesthetized ferrets. Clinical evidence of
>periodontal disease was present in 65.3% of anesthetized ferrets
>(gingivitis or probing depths > 0.5-mm), however advanced periodontal
>disease (i.e. periodontal pockets > 2-mm or stage 3 furcation
>exposure) was not found upon clinical examination. There was no
>evidence of tooth resorption, dental caries, stomatitis, or oral
>tumors in the examined group of ferrets.
>
>PMID: 21696122 [PubMed - in process]

for those in Australasia:

>Vaccine. 2011 Jun 18. [Epub ahead of print]
>A recombinant Hendra virus G glycoprotein-based subunit vaccine
>protects ferrets from lethal Hendra virus challenge.
>Pallister J, Middleton D, Wang LF, Klein R, Haining J, Robinson R,
>Yamada M, White J,Payne J, Feng YR, Chan YP, Broder CC.
>
>Source
>CSIRO Livestock Industries, Australian Animal Health Laboratory,
>5 Portarlington Road, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
>
>Abstract
>The henipaviruses, Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), are two
>deadly zoonotic viruses for which no vaccines or therapeutics have yet
>been approved for human or livestock use. In 14 outbreaks since 1994
>HeV has been responsible for multiple fatalities in horses and humans,
>with all known human infections resulting from close contact with
>infected horses. A vaccine that prevents virus shedding in infected
>horses could interrupt the chain of transmission to humans and
>therefore prevent HeV disease in both. Here we characterise HeV
>infection in a ferret model and show that it closely mirrors the
>disease seen in humans and horses with induction of systemic
>vasculitis, including involvement of the pulmonary and central nervous
>systems. This model of HeV infection in the ferret was used to assess
>the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a subunit vaccine based
>on a recombinant soluble version of the HeV attachment glycoprotein G
>(HeVsG), adjuvanted with CpG. We report that ferrets vaccinated with
a >100ug, 20ug or 4ug dose of HeVsG remained free of clinical signs
>of HeV infection following a challenge with 5000 TCID(50) of HeV. In
>addition, and of considerable importance, no evidence of virus or
>viral genome was detected in any tissues or body fluids in any ferret
>in the 100 and 20ug groups, while genome was detected in the nasal
>washes only of one animal in the 4ug group. Together, our findings
>indicate that 100ug or 20ug doses of HeVsG vaccine can completely
>prevent a productive HeV infection in the ferret, suggesting that
>vaccination to prevent the infection and shedding of HeV is possible.
>
>Copyright (c) 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
>
>PMID: 21689706 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
On change for its own sake: "You can go really fast if you just jump
off the cliff." (2010, Steve Crandall)

[Posted in FML 7104]