Hi all, it's been a long time since I've posted.  We had a problem here last
week.  Rex got access to the upstairs of the house, where he is not allowed
to be, through a carelessly left open door.  He crawled under the floor and
into the attic.  This was entirely unknown to me, I was at work at the time.
I had no idea where he was and looked for him, called to him, for 2 days.  I
finally assumed, incorrectly, that he had gained access to _outside_ and that
was that.  My son, Erik, crawled into the attic and found him.  During the
two days he was missing, it was almost 100 degrees outside, daytime, with
high humidity.  We live on Long Island, NY, practically tropical in the
summer!  Back to Rex, he looked terrible - He was dirty, he felt hot, he had
fleas on him, he was weak, and sneezing all over the place!.  I bathed him
immediately in tepid water, both to cool him down and get rid of the fleas.
I then gave him access to his water dish, which he refused to drink.  I
forced some water down his mouth and let him sleep in my air conditioned
bedroom.  In the morning, he was not easily aroused.  He sleepily opened his
eyes to look at me when I picked him up and shut them, returning to his deep
sleep.  I took him to the vet an hour later.  He was kept for three days,
x-rayed, fed, given fluids for dehydration.  I picked him up and brought him
back home.  He is still sneezing, his eating is so-so, not like he was before
this incident.  He looks very thin, sleeps almost constantly, and is
generally mopey.  The vet said he tried to run a glucose on him, but Rex got
so excited and upset, he said it was impossible to continue and he didn't get
one.  For those who remember, Felicia, our other ferret and Rex's constant
companion - passed away from insulinoma several months ago.  This is
frighteningly similar in symptoms, except that Felicia was also drooling and
walking very unsteadily.  This is not so for Rex.  Anyway, I'm wondering,
since I never got a diagnosis, what I should do next, if anything.  He just
ate some food, but went right back to sleep.  Does anyone have any
suggestions for me?  Should I take him to see another vet?  This vet,
although he treats ferrets, admits he is not an *exotic* pet expert.  I'd
appreciate any opinions from anyone who has had an experience like this.  I
also requested the FAQ, hoping to find some info.  If anyone has the recipe
for Duck Soup, I'd appreciate that as well.  It might be all the difference
at this point.  We used to call him _fat boy_ as a nickname, he was so pudgy.
Now his hips stick out and he appears thin and frail.  Thanks in advance....
Vicki
[Posted in FML issue 1282]