In response to those with coughing ferrets:
1. Obviously get to a vet if cough persists for several days or if fert is
having problems breathing.
 
2. Then a thourough cleaning of home and cage. Change litter and ferret
bedding-it is shedding time.  Try a litter that is not dusty.  Try
eliminating softeners from wash in case of allergies, and giving laxative
to ferret in case of fur balls as has been recently discussed.  Get rid of
pine or cedar bedding immediately.  Brush your ferts to get rid of shedding
fur.
 
3. Strange one-check food bowl and area round cage.  I once had ferrets
cough for several days before I realized the bedroom they were in then was
infested underneath the large cage with ants that crawled in their food
bowl.  I just dumped out the food bowl without my glasses.  With glases
on-food was moving because there were so many ants in the bowl..  {It was
gross and still gives me nightmares.}
 
4. Still coughing?  Boil water for humidity, do not light scented candles
or use room spray or thoses carpet cleaning granules that get stuck in rug.
Let ferts get fresh air every day by opening window or taking them out.
 
5. See other vets.  Have a chest x-ray done if vet thinks it is a good
idea.  Try a different antibiotic.
 
6. Hopefully-none of you are smoking.  Obviously smoking in same room as
ferret is major source of cancer if done to people with big lungs.  Can't
imagine damage to ferret that uses nose so much more than we do.
 
7. Try ChlorTrimeton Allergy Syrup if hacking cough is terrifying you. I
just poor some on my finger for fert to lick off once.  Others of you out
there are giving a little more-but not much more.  THIS is what I do as a
last resort.  It works for me when I wake to hear a fert trying to breath
and hacking badly STILL after being at vets every other day..  But I have
ferts that were kept in pine bedding that have lung damage now.
 
8.Call 1-800-621-5545.Ask for the Allergy and Asthma Guide to be sent.Use
mite resistant pillow cases, comforters and blankets I order from them.
[Ferts now sleep in my room] Dust your home.  Get their PulmoAide
Compressor recommended by zoos, allergist, and pediatricians nationwide.I
have one for Chewy.  Saved my sanity and the vets.
 
Nebulize your fert.  I do this with Chewy when he starts having problems.
He has gotten much better over time, and I only need to do this once a week
or two now instead of every day.  I enclose carrier in large garbage bag.
He runs in with everyone else, and everyone gets nebulized.  They love it.
 
Hope this helps
 
"Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of
Christ."  Galatians 6:2
Lisette
[Posted in FML issue 2864]