The advice dispensed by myself in reference to FML postings is not meant to
supplant the advice of veterinarians who are in charge of the patient.  If
the patient is not currently under the care of a veterinarian, the client is
recommended to take their ferret to a veterinarian for further advice.  (I
guess I do not need to shout it anymore).
 
Surprising how little things start to snowball.  I received a few e-mails
about this little disclaimer and what happened?  The Reader s Digest version
is that I received a telephone call from a veterinarian who was a little
miffed that her client brought in one of my listings and that I tried to
diagnose over the internet with the barest of facts.  In the end I assured
her that the FML is just a resource out there for owners, etc.  and
encouraged her to sign up.  The big problem was the client being a little
overbearing presenting their on-line information.  The other was an e-mail
from a FML er questioning my qualifications and who did I think I was
stealing Dr.  Williams spot.  Hey, it was personal flame mail :) So I
thought the disclaimer was probably best to just enforce the notion that
having regular veterinarian examinations is the way to go for your ferret
and on-line (until tactile virtual reality anyways) is just advice.  So now
to answering some questions...
 
>From:    "James L. Myers" <[log in to unmask]>
>My reason for writing today is to ask if anyone has ever had a ferret to
>expierence hair loss around the shoulder area on the top of their body.
 
Hair loss possibilities in that area include: irritation (possibly from a
previous vaccine site?  Also from running under something that s low to the
ground.  I had a patient that kept getting scratched from a loose upholstery
staple under a chair.), skin infection (e.g., ringworm), the other ferret
scratching him, or even adrenal disease.  If fine fur is starting to regrow,
an option is just to monitor it and treat the scratches.
 
>From:    shanon &/or mitch <[log in to unmask]>
>...lot of references to bitter apple spray to stop bad habits biting etc.
 
There is also bitter cherry, Tabasco sauce or a product called bandguard
(available from vets).
 
>From:    Nancy Stephens <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Allergies in ferrets
>My ferret, Graham, appears to be allergic to something....  of his sides
>and tail.  Soon his tail was completely bald and he had two big bald spots
>on his sides.  Per the vet's suggestion I put him on Benadryl (.75 CC 2x a
>day).  His fur has completly grown back on his tail, and mostly on his
>sides.
 
The short answer is ferrets can get allergies.  A more veterinary medical
term is atopy.  Atopy is an inhalation allergy that manifests itself with
skin signs.  This is probably not a food allergy since most food allergies
are very poorly controlled with anti-histamines.
 
The long answer is that atopy is triggered by the same long list that causes
asthma in people (i.e., EVERYTHING).  The more obvious sources are cedar
shavings, perfumed soaps and laundry products.
 
>From:    John Rosloot <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Cassie
>I posted last week that I had noticed a bit of reddish residue around
>Cassie's vulva, but that a vet checkup and urinalysis showed no problems.
 
In vaginitis the walls of the vagina are inflamed.  This might not be the
easiest thing to examine on the oh-so-little ferret vulva.  It s your and
your vet s choice, monitor or try symptomatic treatment with antibiotics.
In severe cases on large dogs, you can do douching with an antiseptic
solution but I do not think that is even closely feasible on a ferret.
 
>>I would also value any opinions on Bud's necropsy, i.e. what likely killed
him (was it probably autoimmune hemolytic anemia?  what might have triggered
it?), might it have been related to his adrenal disease, is there any danger
to the remaining ferrets?  In fact any answers would be reassuring.  I feel
 
Most cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) are from unknown causes.
Possible causes are change in environmental temperature, stress, genetics,
other existing disease, post-vaccination.  AIHA is not contagious.
 
>From:    Steve Krawcke <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Bad news for Loki.
>Loki's biopsy came back today and it is not good.  She has renal carcinoma
>the vet doesn't know if we caught in time, she also doesn't know if it had
>spread.
 
Unilateral renal carcinoma can be treated by removing the cancerous kidney
(ferrets can live with one).  Kidney cancer may be painful.  You need to
make that decision based on what you see.  The prognosis depends on how
quickly kidney function degenerates.  A good monitoring test would be an
urine specific gravity and dipstick along with a BUN or creatinine blood
test.
 
>From:    Frank Miller <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Sleepy Ferret???????
>A friend of mine has a ferret that concerns me.  She is about 2 yo, and
>appears to have a sleepy look all the time.  Her eyes are half closed...
    and
>From:    A happy guy <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Is my Max Sick? Angoras
>I have a question regarding my ferret Max.  He will be 1 year old on Feb
>2nd, but there is a thing that worries me.  Lately he has been very lazy.
 
I would consider both of these candidates for low blood sugar.  See the FAQ
on insulinomas.
 
>From:    Greg Mohs <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Laxatone?
>I have heard about this stuff called laxitone to help remove hairballs and
>blockages, familiar??  So I went to the pet shop and couldn't find it.  i
>asked a lady and she said Ferrets don't need it because they don't shed,
 
Laxatone is just one of many brands of cat laxative for hairballs.  Other
brands include petromalt, femalt, cat-a-lax (I always liked that name).  All
of these are palatable petroleum distillates that helps the fur exit the
stomach and pass through the intestinal tract.  They seem to work well, but
you need to use them consistently (usually twice weekly).
 
>From:    Ferret Rescue of Tidewater <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: vaccine shots for kits
>This is a problem at many pet stores-misinformation.... FERVAC-D is the
>only USDA approved vaccine, which means that this is the only shot that the
>vets can give.  Shelters like myself can give Galaxy or Fromm (although I
>don't) without worrying about lawsuits.
 
I just want to make one thing clear so ferret owners do not freak out if
their vet does not use Fervac.  Unless there is a specific state veterinary
statute, it is not illegal to use something other than fervac.  If the
biologic medication (in this case the vaccine) has been shown to be
effective and safe, it is legal to use for the intended cause.  Both the
galaxy and fromm product are effective and safe.  It will protect your
ferret as well as fervac and for the same duration of time.  The lawsuit
possibility is present but very, very, very small given that all these
vaccines have a history of being safe and effective for ferrets.  It falls
under the art of medicine and relying on the experience and knowledge of
the doctor.
 
Your vet (and myself) use non-ferret approved drugs all the time.  As far as
I know, there is no approved antibiotics for ferrets.  The gas anesthesia I
use is not approved for ferrets, etc.  The simple reason (other than rabies
vaccines) is economics.  It can cost upwards to $2 million for get approval
for a single use per species!  Rabies is the exception since it is a
regulated disease and human health concerns dictates an approved vaccine for
the species (hence the shedding studies, etc.).
 
Mike Dutton, DVM, DABVP
Weare Animal Hospital
Weare, NH.
[Posted in FML issue 1457]