To Lindi -
 
        >I'm feeling very anxious about the surgery. I'm trying to think good
>thoughts & yet I'm very worried she won't make it through surgery and recovery
>time.
 
        Lindi, everyone feels this way prior to surgery.  As long as your vet is
familiar with ferret surgery, there is less than a ten percent chance of
problems arising if an adrenalectomy needs to be performed.  There are very few
gguarantees that we can get in life, good odds is the next best thing....
 
        And I'm sure that you'll help her along tremendously in the recovery
period...
 
 
 
To the anon's
 
        >Also- Last night he had a sneeze fit.   I sprayed around the window to
>lessen dust, but could he be allergicto something airborne?  Do ferrets get hay
>fever and/or allergies from pollen etc in Spring?  The sneezing seemd to worry
>him so I cuddled him.  That was all I knew to do!  Any advice on either/both
>subjects is appreiciated!
 
Yes, ferrets can develop allergies, and even asthma, however, one sneezing
fit does not an allergy make.  Due to their nature of getting under
everything where we are not in the habit of dusting, they may inhale things
that tickle their noses.  A sneeze is a natural reaction to foreign material
in the nasal passages.  While hay fever is seen in dogs, it is not
documented in the medical literature on ferrets.  NOt to say it can't
happen, but is most likely rare.
 
 
Concerning broken teeth in ferrets:
 
As in dogs, the most common cause of broken teeth in the ferret is chewing
on wire.  If you have a ferrets whose canines are broken - at one time he
was most likely not very pleased with his environment....
 
Concerning tea and the flu:
 
>Tonight, while up studying late, I had a cup of chamomile-ginseng tea.  I drank
>most of it before it got cold, and the mug was sitting on my desk.  He wanted
>the tea!  He drank it all and wanted more.  Is tea allright for them?
 
Remember, everything in moderation....While I'm not sure about the harmful
effects of chamomile in ferrets (I tend to doubt there are anything), a
swallow of tea to you is a lot for a ferret.  Maybe several cups....
 
>Also- I have had a flu-cold-virus thing for about 6 weeks now (been to the doc-
>and everything) and he is being remarkably resistant to cathing this.  Is there
>anyway I can make sure he continues to not get this evil virus I have?
 
The best way is to limit contact.  Don't let him drink out of the same cup
(OOPS!!!!), wash your hands before handling him, etc.  The virus will pass
as a result of close contact.  Oh, also, no sneezing on the ferret....
 
Bruce Williams, DVM
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[Posted in FML issue 0743]