I've read with interest the recent information from Dr Williams and
others re insulinoma and ulcers in ferrets, since Rockey has been diagnosed
with that disease.  She is at least seven years old maybe older, since she
came into the family already full grown nearly seven years ago.  We don't
know her history but aside from the time several years ago that she found
the remains of 'pearl harbor' left over from a teenage party, (and nearly
fell down the stairs), I don't think that she has been sick a day in her life.
 
    She is now blind with cateracs, sometimes forgets where the litter box
is, and was losing weight until we began feeding her by hand recently.  We
are giving her prelone syrup twice a day which does give her a lot of, (tho
not all) of her energy back, and we were considering surgery.  Two vets who
see ferrets on a fairly regular basis however have both indicated that it
may not prelong her life much, and that often these tumors come back.  Also
there is a risk that it would reduce the quality of her time remaining.
 
        In the meantime she seems happy enough except when configned to a
cage which she has never been before, and when getting her medicine.   This
last causes a lot of spitting and shaking of her head when given 'straight'
followed by linatone, or some teeth grinding when it is mixed in with turkey
or chicken baby food.  Am thinking of mixing up some 'duck soup' to see if
it will help the teeth grinding.  I do know that the bismouth from the Pepto
Bismol and the antibiotics do tend to turn the stool (as well as the tongue)
black in those people who take it for the helicobacter virus, and wonder if
that is a consideration here???  Also does pepto bismol in large enough
doses to do some long term good have to be taken with antibiotics ???
==========
        On a happier note, I did see the Garfield cartoon last Saturday Pam.
I think that these guys are finally coming into their own and gaining some
respect as pets.  Now if we can just get the public educated to provide them
with the good care needed.
 
        Also there was a very good article by Vicki Croke in the same issue
(5/27/95) of the Boston Globe (Pg 21) that had some great pictures from the
Connecticut show.  She talked to quite a few people and IMO wrote a quite
well thoguht out and balanced but positive article.  Only wished that she
had paired the 60 cases of bites reported by California Dept of Health (1978
to 1987) with the number of Dog bites during that same time period.
Correcting for numbers of each species shows that a dog is 200 times more
likely to bite, and the consequences are of course more likely to be severe.
 
        Very big congratulations go to Sharon Burbine for convincing Vicki
that ferrets would make a good story, and that it would be worthwhile to go
to the show.
[Posted in FML issue 1210]