I've subscribed to the FML for almost a year now but have not posted
anything in the last few months due to a hectic schedule.  I have five
beautiful ferrets who have had a extreme case of bad luck this past week.
They have come down with the Greenies even with their highly sheltered life
and over protective Mom.  My ferrets have had no contact with any other
ferrets or ferret people except for their beloved friend Fivel ferret.
Fivel belongs to a good friend of mine.  Fivel is around six months old and
appears to be a healthy, happy, well mannered ferret.  He was purchased from
a respectable pet store and has not displayed any symptoms of the Greenies.
However, two weeks after Fivel's first visit, the Greenies hit here and hit
everyone.  I call this bad luck as I can not belive that the one ferret who
I approved as a playmate for my babies ends up bringing over the Greenies.
I do not blame Fivel or my friend as we honestly had no clue.
 
This brings me to my vet horror story.  Living here for only a year and a
half, I have only taken my ferrets to this vet once for their distemper
vaccinations.  She seemed knowledgeable enough, so once I discovered
dirrahea in the ferret's litter box, I called and made an appointment.  When
I called for the appt., I asked if she had knowledge or experience with the
Greenies.  The receptionist told me that the vet doubted it was the Greenies
as it is uncommon for this area but assured me they'd figure it out.  Well,
to be on the safe side, I printed up all the info off the FAQ on Greenies
for the vet.  I collected a stool sample and took my two sickest off to the
vets.  I gave the vet the papers which she read.  I expressed my concerns to
her and asked about how she would test the stool sample.  I mentioned to her
Bruce Williams offer to test samples.  She tested the sample only to report
no parasites.  I told her it wasn't parasites I was concerned about.  She
then went off tell me that she isn't buying the Greenies virus idea and
summed up the Greenies so called myth to be a "bacterial imbalance." She
then told me I could put the ferrets on antibiotics if I so wished which I
did.
 
I am EXTREMELY P.O.d!!  I came home to find a stool in the carrier that I
took the ferrets to the vet in which matched the Greenies description
exactly.  All of my ferrets symptoms have been right in line with the
Greenies symptoms.  I called another local vet who fortunetely agreed that
Greenies does exist and from what I described was quite concerned.  I am
happy to report after a aggressive 24 hours of Duck soup, Pepto, Pedialyte
and a lot of love we are seeing some improvement here.  I realize I'm not
out of the clouds yet but I'll take what I can get.  My final comment on the
vet ordeal is I wish that vets who don't have a clue about the Greenies as
mine apparently did not, would say "Hey, I don't have a clue." I would find
that a hell of a lot more respectable than to waste ferret owners money and
as we all know in relation to the Greenies, ever so valuable time.  She
talked to me like I was making a big deal out of what appeared to her, not
much of anything.  Well, Thank God I knew better and pity the ferret owner
who doesn't.  In closing, I want to give a very warm THANK YOU!  to Meg
Carpenter for all of her heartfelt and great advice on the Greenies.
 
                  Tracy Bussey
[Posted in FML issue 1465]