I have a extremely close friend who *had* 10 ferrets, who now only has 2.
She's had these ferrets less than 6 months, all under 2 years old.  What
is wrong with this picture???
 
The first one she lost to a UTI.  But the rest, death unknown.  They are
just dying one by one-sometimes two a day.  The last two she has are
pretty thin, but she says most of the others were normal weight.  She says
she has found a couple fleas here and there, but she has treated them for
them.  None were infested super bad, just a flea here and there.  I know
fleas can cause ferrets to become anemic, but so few?  Could the fleas be
effected with something, spreading some sort of disease onto the ferrets?
 
I suggested a few months ago, when this all started happening, to have
her home checked for gas, carbon dinoxide or something like that.  It
just doesn t seem normal that so many ferrets are dropping dead like this.
She's had birds mysteriously die too.  She hasn't had any problem with her
dogs, but birds lungs are very sensitive and maybe the ferrets are small
enough to be sensitive to something like that too.  Her home is very old
and the upkeep isn't there-I wouldn't be surprised if there was a leak of
some sort.  But, despite stressing this to her, she has taken no action.
She hasn't done anything for these ferrets, not even take them to the vet
when she finds one all most dead.
 
There just isn't something right here and I'm not saying she's doing
anything to them, because I really don't think she is.  But, I do think
there is a hidden problem that she needs to find.  I have talked to her
till I am blue in the face and she either isn't taking me serious or I
don't know what
 
Does anyone know what could be happening to these poor ferrets?  Fleas?
Leak?  And what can I do to get her to understand she needs to do
something before chancing this problem getting any bigger than it all
ready is?  I've tried being polite, rude-everything except slap her
across the face.
 
[CN]
[Posted in FML issue 3782]