>Anita Klein <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Strange behavior
>
>>She would be sleeping peacefully, then suddenly jump up and run several
>>feet!
>
>Yes!  I've see that behavior in our ferret Peanut!  She's been gone now for
>about 4 years.  She had cardiomyopathy when she started to do this.  (I'm
>not saying your ferret has cardiomyopathy, just that I had one that did this
>when she was sick)
 
Strange awakenings:
Sorry about Peanut.  Chris, just as to not have you worry, I've noticed this
same behavior from time to time in several of our ferts, and none have
cardiomyopathy :o)--knock on wood * * --.  They're just plain NUTS!  You'd
swear someone lit a match between their little toes.  Sometimes they jump up
and don't know where to bite or scratch first.  And then moments later, back
to sleep like nothing happened.
 
Fecal follies:
Another word on fert pooping: It's strange, but since we've had ferts, every
time we notice a big dog or other large pet or animal, even on Wild Kingdom
or some other nature show, my SO and I both look at each other and think...
"gee, I'd hate to clean THAT litter box", or; "hey, imagine cleaning up
after THAT!".
 
It goes something like this....
I say, "Gee, honey look at that beautiful lion.  What a gorgeous mane!"
My SO says "Boy, I'd hate to clean up after THAT!"
 
This very odd exchange often happens in reverse with me counting our
blessings for not being enlisted in some sort of perennial animal kingdom
latrine duty.  It seems like the first thing we now think about when we see
an animal is not about its particular habitat, habits, or what have you,
it's about their POOP!  We've been cursed with some sort of chronic
"fecephilia".  An insidious disorder that seems to affect ferret owners
causing them to obsess over poop.  AAAAAAAHh!  Ain't ferret ownership
grand?  :-O
 
Foster's Furklempt:
Or Foster, the whooping ferret update.
Ok, Foster still has occasional coughing fits and odd brief bouts with fever
and congestion.  He remains very active and shows a great appetite and
general hardiness.  The first tentative diagnosis was possible heartworm(he
was a rescue, so no one knows how he was kept).  He was placed on
Prednisone.  This was back in April.  Also, a small odd whitish lesion has
now appeared on the back of his throat.  Because of a particular high fever,
we placed him on Amoxi for a week and although his fever has not returned,
no other improvement was noted.  So off to another vet...
 
This vet wants to wean Foster off the steroid, as he believes this may
adversely affect Foster's adrenal, and has placed him on Baytril and an anti
fungal Nizoral.  A throat wash was not possible because he already puked
once during the lesion exam and presented a rather strong gag reflex.
Perhaps later.  The lesion contains a small amount of yeast.  The vet was
afraid to lance it without Foster being under.  So we will wait and see if
the lesion abates along with the other symptoms.  CBC negative; fecal
negative; so time will tell.  Another $250 from the ferret coffer.
 
best wishes,
until next time,
alphachi
[Posted in FML issue 2039]