Dooks and warm wishes to all!
 
I just wanted to respond to a few things I saw in the latest FML.
 
Recently, posters have been asking how much of this herb or that medicine
to administer.  This list should NOT substitute for veterinary care, and
this scares me that people might take whatever "ferret experts" say
seriously.  PLEASE seek the advice of your vet.  Although there are some
very experienced ferret owners on this list, there are no substitutions
for veterinary opinions (that is not to say that vets are always right,
but the MAJORITY know their stuff).  I just don't want to see anyone using
this list in place of a good vet.
 
Someone posted something about their ferret having bloody poop with stuff
in it, and that they were worried and horrified.  PLEASE, if you have an
emergency (and you made it sound like it was), take your ferret to the vet!
Don't even waste any time posting to the FML that does not come out till
hours later.  Even if someone on the list *thinks* they know what is wrong,
it is really difficult to diagnose anything without seeing the ferret and
the fecal matter in person and running proper tests (even a vet who would
diagnose over the phone or on a bulletin board without seeing the ferret,
IMO, is not to be taken seriously).
 
Yes, the FML is a great place to learn and share, but veterinary questions
need to be left to those who are trained and educated to handle them.  It
really scares me to see questions like this.  Questions about toys,
bedding, cages and sharing stories, poems, etc...are all this list should
be used for and leave the medical stuff to professionals.
 
NEVER depend on bulletin boards for help, especially in an emergency
situation.
 
All of you that are new to this list or new to ferrets, need to be aware
that the FML is full of differing opinions about care and also full of some
who appear to be "experts" but are not what they seem.  Just be careful and
make sure you have a very good ferret vet!
 
[HP]
[Posted in FML issue 3048]