Okay, I spoke with a cardiologist at the heart website,
http://www.vetheart.com/ , as well as with the sweet ferret-mom who wrote,
and I think that basically what happened was a misunderstanding.  there
are very few questions asked about ferrets, so they could figure out who
it was even though I hid the identity.  The person with the ferret needed
to know about alternative medications due to a difficulty with one, BUT
the alternatives required that more information, the sort which would be
available only after an ultrasound -- which was not mentioned in the
letter to the cardiologists as having been done -- to know which meds
would work or which would be counter-indicated.  The only place he knew
of close to her that could do an ultrasound was Cornell so that location
was mentioned in case the test wasn't otherwise available.
 
He sounded greatly saddened that the ferret had passed, and sorry for the
person who wrote to him -- very sad that a misunderstanding had occurred.
The letter I got was very sweet, actually, and very loving toward animals.
 
It's hard to ask questions sometimes when one is very upset and truly
afraid for a loved companion animal, and it's hard to answer in full
sometimes when such efforts are on a volunteer basis.
 
Sadly, this instance didn't resolve until the ferret had passed away, but
I hope that people will remember that sometimes e-mails aren't as clear in
any direction as they could be, and that can result in misunderstandings
which can fortunately often be cleared-up.  When a person is trying every
last recourse she can think of, the short-comings of e-mail can be hard on
everyone.
 
Oh,and they have consulted with Dr. Debbie Kemmerer at times when they
needed to know more ferret-specific info, which is a good sign, too.
 
Bill, if I have used up my three mails, could you PLEASE attach this to
the "complaint" e-mail, or skip both today if there are too many posts.
I am very sad about this.
[Posted in FML issue 3629]