Greetings group:
 
I have been noticing lately (somewhere else) that a number of otherwise
healthy ferrets are dying from anesthesia alone.  One ferret goes in for
what should have been a routine operation, which was uneventful and
successful, but fails to wake up afterwards and dies.  Another ferret
goes in to have it's teeth cleaned, but dies from the anesthesia.  In
both cases, they were leading happy and normal lives, only to be "put
to death" for simple things!
 
This burdens me greatly, and it is becoming clear that veterinary
medicine, when it comes to anesthesia, is just way too primitive.
Ferrets should NOT be dying for the sake of having their teeth cleaned,
for crying out loud!
 
So, I must ask, WHAT is being done to advance the science of anesthesia
and recovery from it?  Is there *anything* at all being done to advance
that science?  Any new research being done on the subject (which would
also benefit and save countless other animals who also die each year from
anesthesia)?
 
There has GOT to be a better way!  Something is clearly being done wrong.
I'm sure that there are other options available, which they aren't even
exploring yet.  What about acupuncture?  That has proven to work in human
patients (I've seen them do major surgery while the patient is awake and
alert, with NO pain).  I have seen dentists put a clip on the left ear
lobe, and drill away, while the clip *somehow* blocks pain.
 
There are other alternatives that I'm sure no one dares consider, too,
like "medical marijuana" (or derivatives from it).  Having been a pot
smoker, I can attest that some of it will indeed knock someone out for
hours (I call it "sleeper").  Has anyone dared look into that, or
something like it?  I'm sure that they could come up with a (slightly
more powerful) derivative from certain kinds of marijuana that could be
used to safely put a ferret (or other animal) out.
 
And, I'm sure there are other alternatives that I'm not even aware of,
that need further study.
 
What, if anything, is being done to further the science of anesthesia?
Anything at all?  Or, are they satisfied with the death rate, as they sit
on their hands and say, "Oh well - it's dead.  *Sorry* Now, pay us!"?
 
It's clear that there is much more to be done in this area.  Ferrets
should not be dying just to have their teeth cleaned!  If nothing else,
isn't there a way to physically restrain them and hold their mouths open,
while they are awake (or preferably drowsy and mellow) so such procedures
can be performed without killing a perfectly healthy ferret?  A form
fitting "chair", with some wires to hold the mouth open?
 
For example, it IS possible to firmly scruff a ferret, right?  It IS
possible to also hold open the lower jaw, right?  Likewise, it IS
possible to restrain the rest of the body, right?  So, although it might
not be the most pleasant experience for them, it certainly wouldn't kill
them, right?!?
 
There has GOT to be a better way.  I may be wrong, but I feel the
veterinary medical field is negligent and remiss for not advancing and
pioneering such new things.  There are many things that are not being
tried or even considered.  Are they so set in their ways that they
*thing* that what they have today is the "state of the art", and can
not be advanced further?  If so, THAT is the primary problem; they need
to be motivated to think outside the box.
 
Can anyone shed some light on this?  I am convinced that so many ferrets
(and other animals) do NOT need to die so often.  From reading of all
these needles deaths, *I* am determined that it will be a cold day in
hell before I ever have mine put under anesthesia!  They would have to
be in immanent danger first (where they will die anyway without it),
and then, only after a thorough research of all methods available and a
strong examination of the vet's experience and knowledge of the
situation.  Otherwise, I don't trust them.  Granted, there are some
excellent vets out there, but they clearly don't know as much as they
want people to believe.
 
On a related note: One lady takes her ferret in for a routine
immunization; there was a strong reaction within one minute of getting
the shot.  Meanwhile, the vet is frantically flipping through a book,
wasting valuable seconds, trying to find the right amount of another med
to counteract the first shot.  This otherwise good vet, was UNPREPARED.
That vet (ALL vets) should have, as standard operating procedure, looked
up ALL applicable emergency information before the shot was administered
in the first place.  The ferret almost died, and took over a week to
recover from that one immunization.  It was the closest she has ever
brought a ferret back from the brink of death!  She had never seen one
that close to death be brought back.
 
There has GOT to be a better way.  Veterinary medicine and practices are
not advancing fast enough.  How many healthy ferrets will die TODAY
because of this???
 
Thanks,
Gary, Bart and Victoria
 
[Moderator's note: Interesting coincidence!  Many of these very topics
were discussed today at the symposium.  An executive summary: Isoflurane
anesthesia is incredibly safe in ferrets; dental procedures are probably
overdone in ferrets; it IS possible to draw blood without sedation.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 4290]