To Shelly and Vanilla:
 
>Vanilla is almost 7 years old (eek!) but doing SPLENDID since her adrenal
>gland problem last year.  She's been spunky and naughty, all those
>wonderful things you expect from a fuzzball.  However, I've noticed that
>she is sleeping a little more than usual (old age???) and also, wheezing
>a little bit.  I was curious as to whether this could be a cold and, if
>possibly, whether this is dangerous with her age.
 
        Wheezing can be the sign of several different processes in ferrets.  It
may signify incipient heart disease, bronchitis, or rarely, asthma in ferrets.
On Vanilla's next checkup, a chest X-ray is certainly in order to make sure
there are no serious problems.  I would take her in sooner to be looked at if
the wheezing becomes continuous, intereferes with her normal activity, or
becomes more pronounced with exercise.
 
        Glad to hear she is fully recovered.  (See, even 7-year old ferrets can
have successful surgery...)
 
 
       Bruce Williams, DVM                 Department of Veterinary Pathology
       [log in to unmask]         Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
       (202) 782-2600/2602                 Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
[Posted in FML issue 1029]