Hello FML - Just been catching up on a week or so of the FML.  Gad, takes a
long time to read through it.
 
Mason - If you have not been contacted yet, please call me at 703-765-4353.
I will not be back on my pc until Thursday, the 1st.
 
I am so glad that we have such good vets on line and willing to "stick their
necks out" and help.  It is always a risk when one gives advice.  And now
Dr. Mike Dutton has joined along with Drs. Williams and Weiss to answer
questions.  And what is this I see -- Dr. Karen Purcell now with us.
Welcome.  Welcome.  I wish some of the other vets listening in would come on
out -- For the vets who take time from their tremendously busy schedules to
answer questions - Thank you, thank you.  We are so lucky to have you.  And
we learn so much from you..
 
And for our Vet Tech who takes it on the chin from time to time, I am very
happy you are there too, Ms. Kinsey!
 
Sometimes when people are writing for help either with a problem or illness
or emergency, I think a concise history might help the vets on line. I have
noted that many times there seems to be more than one problem affecting a
ferret  Such history might include the following:
 
Name, age and sex of ferret.  Sexually intact ferret or neutered.  Precise
history of all symptoms you can think of.  Onset and duration of symptoms.
Has your ferret been seen by a vet.  Current diagnosis, if any, and
medications or treatments precribed.  Previous health history of ferret.
Anything else you can think of that might aid the vets in helping you.
Since the veternarians on line cannot physically check your ferret -- all
information - even if it might seem insignficant - might be of help in
sleuthing out the problem.
 
Example - last summer I received a call from the mid-west regarding two ill
ferrets.  The caller gave me all the symptoms - she was very worried and
unable to reach her vet -- and I puzzled over what the problem might be.  I
asked her if there was anything else she could think of to tell me in the
ferrets behavior, or any other symptoms..  She said "No, all they want to do
is lie stretched out on the floor".  "Where are they lying?" I asked.  "On
the bathroom floor".  Bingo.  Crucial clue.  I asked her how hot it was in
her house.  It was in the 90's - her air conditioning was out.  Heat
exhaustion.  Told her what to do until she had a.c.  fixed.  She also took
the ferrets to the vet, and on follow up they were larking about and well.
 
Another time Pam Grant asked me to get in touch with a gal out west who had
called her and left a message listing symptoms.  Pam was at work and unable
to reach her.  "Sounds like adrenal disease" she told me, listing the
symptoms.  I was able to reach the caller.  She told me her ferret had been
seen by a vet and she had another appointment that afternoon.  She gave me
all the symptoms Pam had told me.  I asked if there was anything else she
could think of.  She said nothing else really - except sometimes she coughs
and wheezes.  I told her to ask her vet if he had checked for cardiomyopathy
and if not, to ask him to take an x-ray.  I reported back to Pam and told
her of the other symptoms.  "Cardiomyopathy", she said.  The caller reported
back late that day to tell me that her ferret, in addition to suspected
adrenal disease, had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and treatment had
been started.  She said her vet asked "how come we knew so much?" I told her
that we had a lot of ferrets and the benefit of great vets on the east coast
willing to teach us and share information :-) I also think she has a great
vet because she lives in California - and her vet was at risk for even
treating her ferret.  (BTW, Pam has the most "field" experience of anyone I
know because of her large shelter, and years of dealing with just about
everything and anything possible that can happen to a ferret).
 
The point of these two stories, of course, is that in each case information
had not been given because it seemed insignificant in view of the rest of
the symptoms.  Ferreting out (I can't help it) additional info., helped
figure out the problem in each case.  I could tell you many more, but will
get off my soap box and go away again for awhile..  Best regards to all.
 
Meg
[Posted in FML issue 1462]