THANK YOU to those who responded with information.  I hope you will forgive
me for not having time right now to get out individual thank yous.  Bruce,
Bill, and Gary especially went to a lot of trouble on our regard and all
this concern is greatly appreciated.  It's good to have such friends.
 
We have more HEART DISEASE questions and some observations.  Bruce has
pointed out that it is most likely that Meltdown (7 &1/2 y.o.), and Ruffle
(6 y.o. on April 1st -- she's the one who has multiple birth handicaps an d
intellectual impairment) both have cardiomyopathy.  We do tend to recognize
problems a bit earlier than most people because of our backgrounds and long
experience with a number of ferrets, and we have absorbed this bad news,
though far from happily.  Both are sterling silver mitts from the old Path
Valley stock, and we have found ourselves commenting to each other for a
couple of years now that they are looking more and more alike as they age.
They may share a critical ancestor.
 
Most IMPORTANT:  Do any of the VETS, TECHS, or OWNERS (Please, say who the
treating vet was and how that person can be reached.) have experience with
INDEROL (PROPRANOLOL) USE IN FERRETS?  We are fortunate that some excellent
cardiologists are now in a conference and one plans to discuss this with
others, but that is no guaranty that they will have information since we are
dealing with an unusual problem for a ferret (ventricular bigeminy in
Meltdown) and have caught both ferrets' problems early.  We STRONGLY NEED
such information and need to here from the vets involved.  PLEASE, also ask
anyone you know (club members, other vets, etc.) who may be familiar with
the problem about this and other experiences with drugs for ventricular
arrhymia in ferrets.  (Vet: Hanan Caine, Basking Ridge Animal Hospital
1-908-766-4211 for vets with critical information, 340 South Finley Ave.,
Basking Ridge, N.J.  07920, or use our e-mail, or our home phone
1-908-580-0506) (Apologies for combining numbers earlier.  Need less worry,
more sleep)
 
Their symptoms aren't bad enough for digitalis yet.  Both have reasonable to
good compression, Meltie's heart is not terribly enlarged, and Ruffle's
fluid problem is beautifully controlled by Lasix.  Ruffle's walls are still
normal.
 
Bruce will be relieved to know that we have each in a large, personal cage,
and that we have upped our waking 3 hour checks to every 2 hours.
Fortunately, we are good at reading their body language so we should be able
to keep stress way down.  Here are some things we had noticed earlier which
might be related (or not): They (especially Meltdown) began preferring to
eat standing with their front ends propped up a good while ago (several
months for Ruffle to a year for Meltdown) and would choose high dishes over
low ones.  They began not sleeping on their backs shortly (days to a few
weeks) before the onset of symptoms.  When Meltdown became excited she would
seek out our cuddling to an unusual degree over a few weeks so we are
wondering if it may have felt uncomfortable.  Ruffle became less inclined to
roll over even if raisins were withheld.  We had hopes of filming Meltdown
asleep hugging a toy mousie, and Ruffle performing for the Roll Over, Ruffie
song to the tune of Waltzing Matilda, but those are out now.
 
Right now they both know they have a couple of slaves.  I really wanted to
attend a conference this week on web sites for museums but that's out.  When
it gets hardest are 1.  When BOTH Meltdown and Ruffle (who can't stand each
other) actively beg simultaneously., 2.  When one really wants to do
something which would be too physically strenuous.  Does anyone have any
smart ideas?  We DO have two separate romp rooms fixed up.
 
Meltdown has gained energy on her enacard which we have been giving as
crushed partial pills in Nutrical.  (Thanks, Bruce for pointing out that it
is another med which can't be given in water.  Hanan knew that, but we did
not.) We do check their urine output and their livers, as well as hydration.
With Meltie we can monitor water bottles (when she doesn't wash hands at
them), but Ruffle nurses through cloth and dunks food so she can't be
monitored with bottles or cups.
 
We have seen several side effects with each so they are probably from the
Enacard or from a combination of the Enacard and disease (Meltdown does not
yet need Lasix.).  First is that Enacard changes their musk, so vets and
owners have to be aware that social problems could arise.  Second is that it
gives both watery eyes.  Third is that both cause decreases in appetite.
 
We know that as this terminal disorder advances their appetites will be more
reduced by the disease.  As we all know, fats can get ferrets to eat more.
As I recall, fat intake is not normally a problem with ferrets, but is that
changed by heart disease?  If so, what are the safest ways to use fats (if
at all) for such ferrets to encourage them to eat happily?  (Obviously, with
cardiomyopathy force feeding is completely out so it will all become hug
encouragement.  Right now they are getting as many "GOOD girl!" exclamations
and applause as we usually give when they use their out-of-cage pots.  (This
is a LOT and works very well.)
 
Another thing we have noticed is that both had a BIG increase in ear wax
production (So far it does not look like mites or fungus but if it keeps up
we'll make another appointment for each and check that out; right now we are
leery of the stress involved in going into an examination room.)
 
As I wrote I realized there were several things I have failed to mention to
Hanan (who has his hands full with car accident victims now that many are
carelessly letting pets run with the onset of Spring) so I'll have to print
out a copy of this for him.  It wouldn't be possible to find a better vet,
and that is saying a lot given the high esteem in which we tend to hold
most vets as caring people who seem to always be willing to learn even when
they have high stress work and many species to understand.  We have a gem
with this guy; wish we could figure out how we could better let him know
that he has greatly bettered our lives.  He's a true friend and we trust
him completely.
 
BTW, has anyone seen any FERRET PRINT (OR SHAPE) NECK TIES?  Hanan really
wants some to wear in his practise.  If so, we are at 1-908-580-0506, or 172
Jamestown Road, Basking Ridge, N.J.  07920, and we'll take care of it, or
Hanan Caines' snail mail address is above.
 
We hope there will be more about heart disease in the general posts when we
access them.
 
  Sukie, Steve, Meltdown, Ruffle, 'Chopper, Spot, Meeteetse, and Warp
[Posted in FML issue 1519]