Hi All,
 
I heard distressing news on the radio this morning. The ferret in
Washington County, MD has been ordered to be killed to be tested for
rabies. I've been so busy with work I haven't kept up with the FML, I
backed tracked the best I could to get the story. I don't know when they
are going to kill him, but it seems at this point it's too late. The best
we can do it try to prevent situations like this from happening.
 
I don't take my ferrets around people I don't know or small children,
especially when they were kits. I want to share them with others but only
when I'm positive the people understand ferrets.
 
PREVENTING DIGGING:
 
The suggestion of plastic carpet runner is a good one, that's what I use
with one addition. You'll most likely need to tac it down some how, my
kids think the little bumps on the underside make the best back
scratcher and even better they can get their backs scratched while
digging the carpet!
 
 
URINARY PROBLEM:
 
I've taken Jake to the vet 3 times and am scheduled for a 4th time this
Saturday. I've asked for advise from Dr. Williams and his advice is good
but I still have a sick ferret. Jake is a 3 year old male, neutered,
descented, sable. He's been in perfect health until 6 weeks ago. He began
rubbing his belly on everything and peeing on things unintentionally (at
least it seems that way). He pees frequently and shows all the signs of a
bladder infection however when the vet did a urinalaysis it didn't reveal
any infection. The first test showed very diluted urine. The vet did a
"in-house" blood test which showed nothing unusual. After a week on
amoxycillin and no improvement they did another urinalaysis and sent a
blood sample out to the lab. The urine showed a touch of blood but not
enough to concern them and no other signs of infection, the blood work
showed unusual liver enzymes so they wanted to do an x-ray. They put him
on another antibiotic for 14 days. The x-ray did not show anything wrong
with his liver, kidneys, or bladder but they said it looked like there
could be a mass in his abdomen, but it could have been undigested food
they weren't 100%. I'm at a point now where he's finished his 14 days of
medicine and still no change. I've given the vet $300 to poke, stick, and
harrass my baby and they still haven't found the problem. They are
suggesting a $200 ultrasound to look at the "mass?" and his bladder or
also they are suggesting a hormone problem we can try to give him
medicine for. This Saturday they want to take more urine and see if it's
changed, that's all I will let them do this weekend. I am losing faith in
my vet. Has anyone had this sort of experience or any advice for me?
I love my ferrets and will do what I have to to make them better, my
reservations with this case are because Jake doesn't seem sick in any
other way. He's eating, drinking and pooping fine. He doesn't seem to be
in pain, peeing doesn't seem to hurt him it just seems uncontrollable. He
goes to the litterbox often and dribbles a little, he does make good
healthy puddles 1 out of 5 times also. Please help.
 
Tammy and company :)  Jake, Ozzy, Zak, Randy, Samantha, and Sunshine
 
Sorry this was so long.
[Posted in FML issue 1085]