My bet (only that, no more, and I'm not a vet) with Mo Jo is that she is
cranky from a complication (possibly secondary) to the ECE -- alveolar
damage, colitis, helicobacter, etc. because she is uncomfortable.  WHEN
BEHAVIOR CHANGES RADICALLY TAKE THE ANIMAL TO THE VET!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Most
complications are treatable.  Don't you get cranky when you don't feel
well?  Doesn't your daughter?
 
When we had ECE here we did not take the ferrets to any shows or anywhere
but to the vets, we did not have guests who have ferrets, we did not go to
shows ourselves, we did not handle anyone else's ferrets, etc. for ABOUT
3/4 of a YEAR so that we did not pose a threat to someone else's animals.
Maybe we were overly cautious but we preferred that.  You need to use
precautions for at least eight months.
 
PLEASE, people: FERRET PROOF!!!!!!!  Blockages can kill and if they are not
treated PROMPTLY the animal can advance beyond the stage where medical care
might otherwise have saved it.  Some items can poison, too.  Things like
nail polishes and cleansers can prove very hazardous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Latex,
rubber, leather, etc. can kill through blockages.  FERRET PROOF!  FERRET
PROOF!  FERRET PROOF!
 
Tooth cleaning has many benefits, but remember that if the tartar isn't too
bad you might be able to tackle it by using Cheweasels.  We've had WONDERFUL
luck with these helping our ferrets' dental health.  Just don't overdo it
or you may see a temporary bout of loose stools.  Unlike hooves, leather,
etc.  which might pose a blockage hazard, these are of slightly hard
gelatin and dissolve easily in the ferret.  We don't make any money from
Cheweasels -- the money all goes in the opposite direction <G> -- but Steve
and I have been very, very pleased with the results and consider them worth
the expense.  (Oh, they help make teething kits more comfy, too, so they
are less likley to chew on something else (like a finger).
 
Ela, would it help with your production if you had a metal shop make up a
large tray with multiple removable ferret molds all attached to each other
so that you could pour a large batch at once?  That way you could also go
with different sizes and shapes if the shop works with an artist there and
you brought in examples like your cookie cutters or the garden shapes in
the NEEPs catalogue.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2567]