Hello all!
 
I had to respond to the story of the ferret with the bad tooth, because we had
a similar situation with a much sadder ending.  We adopted 'Possum 4th-hand
when he was 18 months old in October '93.  Someone had clipped off all 4 of his
canines when he was a baby.  He didn't have any trouble eating, and our vet
wasn't concerned, so we didn't have the stumps pulled.  In April, he became
really lethargic and stopped eating.  It wasn't until I checked his gum color
that I noticed a nasty abcess in his cheek (he *hated* having his mouth
handled).  The problem cleared up fine after the vet lanced the abcess and put
him on Amoxi.
 
In September, 'Possum's left eye got really irritated.  We dragged him back to
the vet, kicking and screaming, and started him on Terramycin for the eye.  At
that point his gums looked fine.  Well, the eye didn't get better and
'Posse-man started moping around again.  Then one morning, blood started to
ooze from the eye.  Apparently, another abcess up in his jaw had been the
source of the whole problem, and it had finally burst.  We started 'Possum on
Amoxi immediately, but he died of septicemia that afternoon =(.
 
We learned our lesson the hard way-be eternally vigilant with a ferret with a
rotten tooth.  My only consolation is that this most gentle of teddy bears had
one happy year after his rough start.
 
Laura McDonald (& Allie and Smokey--the rest all have new homes!!)
[Posted in FML issue 1045]