Hi all,
 
I was wondering if anyone had any experience with epilepsy as a
sole condition in ferrets (i.e., not related to the late stages of
another disease such as cancer or insulinoma)?
 
I have a ferret with a rather strange history and some very odd
behaviors that I'm trying to look for some answers for.  I will
try to keep this as brief and informative as possible.  I would very
much appreciate if anyone could give me any information on this:
 
His name is Bailey Nutmeg.  He's got burgundy eyes and a whitish
coat with some silver guard hairs, but not many.  He is VERY fluffy
and furry, more so than normal.  His toes are seperated (like when
you fan out the fingers on your hand), unlike my other ferrets whos
toes are only seperated to about the first joint.  His facial features
are very distinct (sometimes I wonder if he is like 1/4 mink or something).
He's nine months old, and he was HOME BRED - NOT Marshall Farms or anything
else.  He is 5 lbs, and was fix at 4 months of age.
 
I don't know much about his background - just small pieces.  For some
reason, he was an only ferret.  Now, I don't know if the mother killed
the other ones, if they were still born, or if there were no other
ones at all (perhaps due to breeding for a specific color, something
got messed up - like the genetic lines - I know she was breeding for
dark eyed whites).  At any rate, he doesn't have the socialization skills
that come from growing up with other kits I would imagine.  He was however
put with another single kit from a litter that came 1.5 months later.
 
Anyways, here's the deal.  He's great with people.  He's okay with my
other ferrets when he is awake.  He likes to attack them, but that may
just be dominance battles, I haven't given them a lot of time together.
 
The things that make me wonder about epilepsy are as follows, though I
am open to other suggestions, I'm just searching for answers here:
 
* He often "sleeps" with his eyes wide open.  Like he's in a trance or
  something.  If a human goes to touch him, he will panic and run, any
  which way, that doesn't really matter, just run for cover like you are
  going to kill him or something.
 
* When he sleeps with his eyes closed, this isn't an issue.  You can
  approach him, and he's just fine.
 
* If he is in a "dead sleep" and another ferret sniffs at him, he will
  attack instaneously.  I'm still amazed at the absolute speed at which
  he is on them.  Here's the wierd part.  Last night he did this, and I
  immediately pulled him off my ferret - guess what, he was still sleeping!
  He wasn't even awake!!
 
* At night, when I put him in his cage, he flails around - A LOT!  He
  often sleeps on his back, half the time with his eyes open, and he's
  paws and body are going like crazy - often he scratches at the cage
  screen and the walls - but he's definitely NOT awake.  His eyes are
  open though.  He's also very noisy during these episodes, moaning
  and groaning and making "cute" noises - I never got the impression
  that he was in pain or anything.
 
If this does sound like epilepsy, what are the options for treatment?
I would really like to put him with my other ferrets, but not if he's
going to attack them in his sleep constantly.  Any ideas or suggestions
would be GREATLY appreciated.
 
Please email me at:  [log in to unmask]
 
Thanks,
 
Chris.
 
& Scooter, Nina, Tavi Bear, Bailey
[Posted in FML issue 1067]