Re: FLI#722 and Rochelle's msg. about her ferret with colitis.  PLEASE, don't
feed your ferret Tender Vittles.  Go see another vet who knows something more
on ferrets.   My husband and I adopted a 5 yr. old ferret at our local
shelter.  The previous owner had fed him Tender Vittles for a long time.  The
food is bad enough for cats, so you know it's bad for ferrets.  What happened
is that Nicky developed urinary crystals from this horrid food product.  He
looked "fat" too. One vet, who wasn't all that experienced with ferrets, just
took it for granted that Nicky's spleen was enlarged and he probably had some
form of cancer.  Nicky was acting pretty normal after I adopted him, but one
day he was having trouble urinating and in some real discomfort.  I rushed
him to the vet and after discussing Nicky's history, as much as I knew from
the shelter notes, our vet checked for urinary crystals and found Nicky's
bladder to be full of them.  When I went back a couple days later to get
Nicky (they kept him over at the clinic for observation), Nicky looked like
someone took a pin and let all the air out!  He looked so normal!  Nicky
wasn't fat  afterall, his poor bladder was swollen with the urinary crystals.
 Therefore, please mentioned this to your vet.  Diet is so important in
ferrets.  Our ferrets get Bill-Jac pellet dry food.  It's the best we think
on the market.  Order it through your pet supply store. It's not on any
supermarket shelf.  We also give our ferrets Kay-Tee brand ferret chow.  In
the mornings, they like it mixed with a little warm water.
 
Phyllis Berker/Illinois
 
[Posted in FML issue 0777]