Dr. Weiss sent me this email for FMLians.  (He actually sent it a few days
ago.) I'll be sending a separate email to the fml from me.  All the best -
Beth
 
Date:   99-10-28 00:21:32 EDT
From:   CHARLES WEISS, DVM
To: [log in to unmask] (Beth Comarow)
 
Fellow Ferret Fans,
First I'd like to say thanks for your love and interest in such a wonderful
creature.  It's so sad that they are so prone to so many illnesses.
Fortunately, I feel we have made tremendous strides in the treatment of
these terrible diseases over the last 5 years (some examples include
medical treatment--lupron, casodex, arimidex, vena cava ligation and
cryosurgery).
 
I am now studying (using blood or tissue following routine surgery) whether
genetics plays a direct role in the cause of adrenal tumors and insulinoma,
and if so, ways to potentially prevent it.
 
But I'd like to talk briefly about the video I have produced on common
ferret diseases.  I truly believe that this may become an extremely
important reference for every ferret knowledgeable veterinarian interested
in ferret surgery.  It is more than an hour long and is packed with
information on the diagnosis, clinical signs, pre- and post-op care and
most importantly, video of actual cases of the most common ferret
procedures, including one that I consider a breakthrough for ferret adrenal
surgery---cryosurgery.  This will make it possible for most vets to perform
the tough right-sided adrenal surgery.  This video was made to help
veterinarians who treat ferrets, although it may still be of interest to
ferret owners.  Any medical textbook, medical convention or medical
resource may seem expensive, but there is a lot of work that goes into it
that most people don't realize.  To share medical info and have it done
professionally is very expensive and more time-consuming then I can
adequately explain in a brief note.  I will be lecturing at two vet
conferences in January, and some of the same info that is on the tape will
be presented, but the videotape is much better then the lectures for
several reasons.  The lecture has still slides (if a picture is worth 1000
words, a video is worth a million), and no veterinarian can take home a
lecture and review it over and over again.  Not to mention the fact that
some of the proceeds will directly go into ferret research to make newer,
better medical advances for the ferret.  I hope you understand the time and
effort I have put into searching for ferret cures and treatments--it can't
really be quantified or paid back if I tried to put a dollar amount on
it--but I do not want to put a dollar amount on it because the work I do is
so important to me.
 
But after saying all of that, I do want people from the FML who would like
the tape and can't afford it to be able to get it.  So as a result I will
give a discount to FML subscribers for a limited time.  The video will be
sold in November for $145 to any FML person who writes that on the order
form.  Please realize that I'm doing this to make the tape more affordable
for the layperson.  This is on the honor system; I'll trust that
professionals and those who can afford the full price will pay it, and
those who truly cannot can pay $145.  Keep in mind that extra money goes
back into finding better treatments for the ferrets!  This will be
available at this price for the month of November (if you write on the
order form that you are an FML subscriber).
 
Thanks again for caring for this wonderful species.
 
Good Luck,
Charlie Weiss, DVM
 
[Note from Beth - Order forms can be printed out from Mike Janke's
wonderful adrenal/insulinoma website at http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc.
Be sure to use lower case letters - the URL is case sensitive.  Hope I got
that right.]
[Posted in FML issue 2853]