Q: "I think my ferret broke its hip. I went to a vet who did x-rays and
said it might be broken, but couldn't tell for sure. The vet said all I
needed to do was leave the ferret in a small cage for a few weeks and it
would be ok. Is this on the level?"
 
A: Depends on what's being piled.
 
I don't normally comment on vet advice because I am not a vet and therefore
not qualified.  Also, I do not have access to the x-rays or ferret, so I
cannot even come close to telling if the ferret has a minor or major
injury.  However, I do know a few things about bone, so I will make a
couple of comments.
 
First, getting a good x-ray of a delicate ferret skeleton can be a minor
miracle in itself.  Sometime you should try holding a scared, injured
energetic animal still, and still be able to show detail in a structure as
complex as a hip joint.  Its not easy; not just because of the mentioned
difficulties, but also because the ferret hip is very tiny, and it is hard
to see clear details.  You look at an x-ray of a 3/16ths wide acetabulum
and try to see a compression fracture, or a tiny crack.  It sounds to me
that the vet didn't actually see anything in the xray, but wants to be
careful anyway, so is not taking chances with the health of your ferret.
 
As for the injury, ferrets--as mustelids--are world renowned for their
"weak" hip structure.  Polecats, mink, weasels and ferrets have all been
well-documented for having hip problems, which is related to the
biomechanics of having a heavy and long body supported by narrow hips and
tiny legs.  Ferrets are probably a worse risk because domestication,
neutering and cage living tends to reduce bone mass, making the hips even
more easily damaged.  Fortunately, most injuries are relatively minor, and
well heal themselves given adequate rest time.  It sounds as if that is
what your vet is prescribing, which is probably a good call.
 
The standard treatment for all broken bones is immoblization and rest until
the bone reknits itself.  This can be helped by splints or casts, by pins
inserted into the bone, or plates attached to the outside of the bone.
This is easy for a leg or arm bone, but ever try to cast a hip of a 1 lb
animal?  I have seen rear legs taped, placed inside socks, and even casted,
but unless a serious injury is present, the lowered activty suggested by
the vet is probably just as good as anything else and a lot easier to keep
clean.  I think your vet is on the level.
 
One final bit of advice.  It sounds to me that you didn't really understand
the injury nor the rationale behind the treatment.  *ASK* your vet to
explain those things you are not clear about.  It's their job to tell you
in a fashion that you can understand.  But very few can read minds, so they
may not know you have a poor understanding unless you tell them.  If they
refuse to answer questions, get another vet who will.
 
Q: "I have noticed lately several articles in [national ferret magazines]
that seem to be very similar to posts you put in the FML....doesn't it make
you mad?"
 
A: Mad, as in insane? Already there, my little pretty.
 
I have noticed several articles that have been printed sometime after a
few of my posts that are indeed quite similar to my work.  Professionally,
printing such an article without some sort of acknowledgement is an insult,
but without going through the phrasing to see how it compared to my piece,
proving some sort of intellectual theft would be difficult.  Normally,
"journalists" don't subscribe to the belief of intellectual property
rights, and consider a rewritten piece, based on another person's homework
and study, to be their own, even if all they did was rewrite the original
work.  I feel such acts to be immoral, or at least unethical, but in a
world of yellow journalism, perhaps it is not as bad as the public
proclaimation of private sexual matters.
 
I rarely give citations on the FML because of limited line space, but in my
written work I never fail to cite anyone who's work I have used for even
the most modest reference; if not in the references section, then at least
in the acknowledgements.  To do anything less is disrespectful, and at the
worst, it could be plagerism.  In several cases, I have seen articles that
parallel my FML posts, published well after FML publication and that were
published in magazines that pay a fair amount of money to the author.  Now,
I can assume one of two things; the person is stealing my intellectual work
for their own profit, or, great minds think alike and despite their
membership on the FML, the author did not see my posts.  Truthfully, I
could make a big stink, call the publishers, show dates, etc., but what
would it get me?  A tiny correction?  A small dab of hush money?  Hate from
the people defending their friend who wrote the piece?  Well, I have three
file drawers full of tear sheets, published articles and book sections, the
only hush money I will accept has six zeros after it, and I have plenty of
misguided, but sincere, enemies.  So, I choose to overlook the matter.
Writing is easy for me and I can always write more.
 
Bob C and 22 MO Fert Flatterers
[Posted in FML issue 2421]