Errrr... baculum singular, bacula plural.
 
Sharon, when there was the problem in one NJ town last year an attorney got
involved and info was gathered from sources such as Jeanne Carley, Dick
Bossart, Troy Lynn, etc. (some of which I already had).  Those were
important and absolutely essential to getting the move against ferrets
stopped was that the attorney was able to state that bigwigs from our NJ
Dept. of Health and NJ Dept of Fish, Game and Wildlife would be testifying
in ferrets' defense.
 
I think the cranberries from American Spoon Foods catalog are lower in
sugar, but given how tart cranberries and blueberries both are these foods
which are rich in the specific type of tannin which prevents bacteria from
sticking well to the urinary tract walls pretty well are going to need some
sweetening.
 
T., I haven't read anything of any substance which calls for major alarm at
the three things you mentioned: Ethyoxyquin, BHT, or BHA.
 
Ketoconazole was tested and tested and tested YEARS ago with nothing
particularly noteworthy about it.  It helped some cases, but the best
approach for an adrenal neoplasia is still usually to get it out.  Lysodren
has a better rate of helping but it's got it's downsides, too, some of
which really shouldn't be sneezed at.  Oh, BTW, given some of the things
said by a few recently: in a ferret with no adrenal symptoms hair loss ONLY
on the tail can't be considered a good indicator of adrenal neoplasias ;
it's more likely to be skin disease or parasites, and ferret adrenal
disease should not be thought to be Cushings since their typical problem is
growth involving adrenal hyperestrogenism.
 
More than ear mites can cause black, grainy, profuse ear wax, including
fungal infections.  Also, those things can stay quiet and hard to find
(even with monthly microscope checks like we do here) and then flare up.
We thought we'd gotten rid of an infection recently after two clean months
and then -- whammo -- found a wiggling mite on a cotton swab in the check.
No one came in or out so it's the same old line of mites which just wasn't
completely knocked out.
 
Refrigerators kill ferrets!!!!!  Do NOT let your ferret into the motor
area.  Check back issues of the FML and you will find stories of ones
caught in the belts or electrocuted.  Get caging and make a barrier which
will still allow enough circulation that your motor won't overheat and burn
out.  (Stoves can also be dangerous and often have wall holes cut for the
lines that a small ferret can fit into.
[Posted in FML issue 2611]