Hello everyone,
 
Well, this will be my last post for quite sometime.  I will unsubscribe to
the FML on Monday as my day job will definetly end that afternoon.  I will
miss you all terribly!  I can probably still receive e-mail up to Monday
afternoon, but after that I don't know when I will return.
 
As you all know I have been trying to get poor Jitterbug and Monkey's teeth
cleaned for a little while now.  Even though I will probably not see the
results of this post I thought I would throw a few things out there.
 
1. I have been told by many people that ferrets NEED to be completely out
   to have their teeth properly cleaned.
2. I have been told that it is very hard and somewhat risky to intubate a
   ferret.  So I imagine there is another way to put a ferret under.
   However, I have also been told that if you do NOT intubate a ferret it
   could get fluid in its lungs from the dental instraments which spray
   water.  ???
3. I have heard from one vet that he merely sedates the ferret instead of
   intubating them and using anesthesia (which he says is needlessly
   expensive and somewhat risky).  Here I will get a little specific in the
   hopes that some of our resident expert vets can comment on his methods:
 
     He says use Ketamine, add .5 cc large animal Xylazine.  Administer
     .1 to .5 cc IM.  Ferret goes down fast, comes up quickly, not much
     tendency for sneezing as with the use of Ace Ketamine.  Usually .2
     cc for 6oo gram female, and .25 cc for 750 gram female.  For 1,000
     gram or more (small male, large female) .3 cc.  Male will be deep
     enough for neutering, but female will need to be maintained on
     Isoflurane.  (My vet cautions that the use of the *decimal point* is
     *vital* in these doses; a whole number amount could no doubt kill a
     ferret!)
 
Now one vet assitant that I told this too said Ketamine was dangerous as
some ferrets have bad reactions to Ketamine and that could set them off into
cardiac arrest.  She said even if I do use the sedative, I should make sure
the vet intubates the ferret (to prevent the fluid in the lungs thing) and
that it shouldn't cost any more to do that.  Of course when I asked if their
vet would just intubate mine and give the sedative she said it would be just
as expensive and would be more dangerous.
 
So as you can see I have uncovered VERY conflicting information here.  Vets?
Which method is REALLY more dangerous/effective?
 
Unfortunately, like I said, I probably will not be around for the answers
but I thought this information could be useful to the rest of you.  (And if
nothing else perhaps it could get us off of the dog and petstore debates).
 
Okay, I know I am rambling on here - it is just so hard to say goodbye.
Thank you all so much for being there - all sick and lost fuzzies will
remain in my prayers.
 
     Love and Dooks,
     Rebecca
     Jitterbug "Cheer up mom, you still have us"
     Monkey "Yeah, sure you do, as soon as I finish stealing all the
     mangos of the world"
[Posted in FML issue 1838]