State Health Vet - Comments by Todd Cromwell
 
Todd is right on with his comments.  Better than asking for the CDFA 1990
Information Manual, if you are looking to show how bad the "Pet European
Ferrets: A Hazard to Public Health, Small Livestock, and Wildlife" (CA Dept.
of Health Svcs) "report is, ask CDFA for a copy of the Pacific Research
Institute Report on Public Policy briefing "Ferreting Out the Facts on the
California Department of Fish & Game's War on the Domestic Ferret."
 
This was prepared by a west-coast think tank - independent from the ferret
movement.  Excellent critique of the CA DPHS report.
 
Does anyone have access to the latest (I believe it is the) Journal of
Americal Pediatrics?  I've been trying to track down a copy.  It's supposed
to have a study of dog bites and deaths due to dogs.  I'd love to get a copy
for my info packet.  The latest one I now have covers the 1979-1988 time
period.
 
Baths - Keeping the shampoo on for 5 minutes.  We use the vet benziol
peroxide too.  It works very well but you do have to keep it on for the
specified time.  Some of the weaker ones require 10 minutes.  Scrubbing with
a very soft baby brush helps, or very gently rubbing with your finger nail
(I personally haven't tried the latter since I'm afraid of hurting the
skin).  I'd set a timer to make sure that you've kept it on the required
time.  Five minutes seems like hours when you're trying to hold a squirming
wet ferret.  We rinse well, then shampoo the entire ferret (concentrating on
the tail) with regular shampoo to make sure we have it all off.  Then in 2
weeks you get to do it all over again.  <G> It does work well though.
 
Cardiomyopathy - Our Abbey was diagnosed with it a couple of years ago.  We
seem to have caught it early enough that she is still alive and very playful.
 
Sukie,
 
Thanks for the vote of confidence.  <G>  You put my name in with some mighty
fine people there.   You asked about my book.  It's due out (I hope) before
Christmas. Alpine sent back my manuscript for changes.  While I'm at it, I'm
going to expand it somewhat.  The illustrator is busily drawing cartoons of
ferrets.  They want a couple more photographs.  They know not what they ask.
<G>  The last time I had to take over 70 photos just to get a couple where
you could see a ferret.  "See that picture?  There was a ferret in it just
before I pressed the shutter release.  Now this one, that right there is a
ferret tail, I think.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 1613]