I am now getting contrasting opinions from some vets I both respect and
like.  Awkward position to be in.  Part of that is just because as of a
few years ago still cystine stones are something which isn't as well
known as would be needed to fill in the blanks.  What IS well known is
that there is a type of genetic predisposition in some individuals of
other species who get cystine uroliths, and that some of the individuals
who have that predisposition get these rare uroliths but some don't.  So,
even in the studied species there were some holes in knowledge a few
years ago which means I need really recent info.
 
Obviously, I'd much rather than goofed myself than be dealing with a
genetic flaw here.  It's a lot easier emotionally to kick myself in the
butt for a while and move past the mistake than it is to have them have
a lasting problem such as a genetic flaw.  But they could have a genetic
flaw, or flaws, and some of the vets think that is probable -- that we
just beat the odds in a very bad way.  Even though it is a scary thought
we've got to take it into account while recalling that some vets want to
be sure that the diet they had access to didn't create a problem, or that
both factors combined tipped the scales.
 
So, here is what I plan to do, and here are the things we are discussing
as options.
 
First: I have been given one specialist's name (Thank you!) and I have
searched out the names and emails of some research specialists on
urology, uroliths, and even cystine stones in members of Carnivora
specifically, and I have a few more people I want to track down.  I plan
to ask them directly.  That way I'll get the very latest info even if
not published, and by asking several I might find out about someone's
work in progress for ferrets if that exists.  I DO realize that it is
always possible that ferrets can differ from other species, and I well
recall the confusion such differences caused when such huge discoveries
as mast cell tumors not carrying the malignancy risk of other species, of
the pancreas of ferrets being okay to operate on, and of adrenal growths
in ferrets being hyperestrogenic rather than Cushings each hit the fan.
One difference we have found personally is that ferrets can behave like
they do with intestinal blockages when they have uroliths in the bladder.
Still, we will most likely have to deal with what is know in dogs as
probably the closest living relative to be well studied in this regard
and then work from there.  I WILL ask them if I can post their letters
and if any give me permission I will share those letters verbatim.
 
Our vet will return later this week.  Hilbert's reoccurrence of bladder
bleeding has been brought under control and we'll hopefully have culture
results by then.  We have to discuss the option or x-raying Whizbang and
Sherman to see if they, too, may have stones.  Hopefully, they do not.
If they do then that would make it pretty well obvious that ferrets
differ a lot more from dogs than expected.  Two in one household after 23
years with ferrets and none having stones is a hard way to learn fast.
The main reason for doing that, though, is because if they show stones we
can start them on the meds and hopefully dissolve the stones rather than
risking their health by leaving them unattended, or going with surgery
(though if they have stones we may need to have the surgery again).
 
We will be getting urine strips and if possible doing daily urinary pH
runs on the ferrets; with this problem we need to do the opposite of the
usual stone response and need to make the urine alkaline.  We're also
trying to figure out if we should just start the meds or wait to see if
there is a reoccurrence.  Obviously, we already changed their diet.  If
the problem is genetic this much of change might not be enough and they
might need food which is either extremely low in cystine or extremely low
what is called the COLA group of amino acids (cystine, ornithine, lysine,
and arginine) (Many thanks for that info!), or meds (Policitra-K and
Tiopronin), or both.  Meds may actually be more viable than an extreme
food type given their need for socializing but we may be able to work it
out to do both.
 
This is anything but fun.  I love to learn, but not this way.
[Posted in FML issue 4572]