**The advice dispensed by myself in reference to FML postings is not meant
to supplant the advice of veterinarians who are in charge of the patient.
If the patient is not currently under the care of a veterinarian, the client
is recommended to take their ferret to one.**
 
Sorry for the long delay but heartworm season is upon us here in the
NorthEast and the hours of the day are just not enough.  Plus we are putting
on an expansion to the Hospital so numerous little building meetings have
been chewing up time.  If there is an urgent question, please feel free to
e-mail me directly ([log in to unmask]).
 
>Date:    Sat, 13 Apr 1996 14:40:57 -0400
>From:    Jennifer Lutton <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: sick ferret
>YOIKES! My approx. 3yr old MFM albino, Casper, was making this icky hacking
>snorfling noise, and when I went to see what was wrong, he threw up!
 
Top of the list is an intestinal upset.  I hope everything has turned out
well by this time.
 
>Date:    Sat, 13 Apr 1996 17:34:17 -0400
>From:    "Michelle Z. Matta" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Vet Question: Could it be a cavity?
 
It may be a cavity. Although he is young, I would not rule out the
possibility of dental tartar.
 
>Date:    Sun, 14 Apr 1996 13:46:02 -0400
>From:    aylasaur <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Hacking Ferret -- Veterinary advice needed
>All of our ferrets have been shedding since a few weeks ago --- not blowing
>out their coats exactly, but some hairs come off when we cuddle them and
>their litterbox also has hairs in it.  We've been Petromalting them every
 
This time of the year hairballs are very common.  Increasing the petromalt
should help.
 
>Date:    Sun, 14 Apr 1996 16:25:02 -0700
>From:    Kelleen & The INSANE 10 <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: I NEED HELP NOW!
 
Yes, a culture/sensitivity of the urine would be appropriate. The other
option is to empirically change antibiotics (such as Baytril).
 
>Date:    Mon, 15 Apr 1996 10:42:28 EST
>From:    Lori Forrend <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: brown pigmentation in eyes
>Mooshi had her vet appointment over the weekend and checked out great except
>for some brown pigmentation the vet found in one of her eyes.
 
Is the pigment on the cornea or in the anterior chamber of the eye?  If on
the cornea, it may be secondary to chronic irritation from poor supply of
tears.  If in the anterior chamber, it may be a benign cyst.
 
>Date:    Mon, 15 Apr 1996 15:38:30 -35900
>From:    Shannon Shaffer 1995 <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: "Hyperadrenocorticism"?
>To All Ferret Lovers:
 
Hyperadrenocorticism = (hyper) adrenal disease = Cushing s disease (not an
appropriate term for ferrets  disease). Check out the FAQ.
 
>Date:    Tue, 16 Apr 1996 11:37:02 -0400
>From:    Dick Bossart <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Distemper Vaccine
>I have a question that has been bothering me recently concerning the
>distemper vaccines.  It's my understanding that the Ferrvac and Galaxy
>vaccines consist of a modified live virus.
 
Modified Live Virus (MLV) vaccines are obtained by growing the virus in an
environment that destroys its ability to cause the disease.  The outer coat
of the virus is intact and the body responds to this foreign protein coating
with an immune response.
 
Some MLV vaccines induce a MLV virus shedding through stool that may induce
some immunization in other pets sharing the same litterbox, etc. (I hesitate
to discuss this in great length in case someone uses this theory for a
substitute for actual vaccination.).
 
The big problem is the great varibility of induced MLV shedding vaccination.
 
>Date:    Wed, 17 Apr 1996 12:00:15 -0400
>From:    Neil Garretson <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Rabies in the Domestic Ferret
>Are there not any other methods for detecting rabies, in ferrets and other
>mammals, than with this "shedding" technique?  If anyone would like a copy
>of the article just e-mail me and I would be glad to send you a copy.
 
Unfortunately no, there is not an alive animal test for Rabies.  In a
nutshell, these studies are required for each strain of Rabies (bat, fox,
etc.) to determine appropriate quarantine periods, etc.  for potentially
infected ferrets.
 
>Date:    Wed, 17 Apr 1996 13:11:05 -0500
>From:    Rochelle <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Medical question: growths on pads = distemper???
>A medical question here.  One of our rescues has had some excessive
>callousing on her pads (not growths in the sense of tumors, but her pads are
>just overgrown with callouses or scar tissue - keratosis, I think...
 
In dogs, Distemper virus infections can cause hard pad or hyperkeratosis of
the footpads.  Not many other things cause hard pad.
 
The problem using that information for ferrets is that distemper can be
considered 100% fatal in ferrets.  I do not know of any asymptomatic
infections resulting in hard pad in ferrets and I would put this is the
highly unlikely catergory.
 
I have seen ferrets with thickened pads and have used Kerasolv ointment with
some success.
 
>Date:    Wed, 17 Apr 1996 09:56:25 -0600
>From:    Wade Zimmerman <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Vaccinations
>I have been reading a lot lately about FERVAC-D, FROMM-D, and GALAXY-D
>vaccines for distemper.
 
Unless something has changed yesterday, Galaxy-D is not federally licensed
for ferrets.  Most states (and this is where I might get off the hook) also
have there own vaccine approval process that requires federal licensure
first.  Wyoming might be an exception to that rule.  Since approval requires
manufacturer s input and Solvay is discouraging use of Galaxy-D in ferrets,
I would think that it is not an approved vaccine per Wyoming s laws either.
Remember, federal and state licensure does not need to occur for
veterinarians to use the products.
 
>Date:    Fri, 19 Apr 1996 00:53:40 -0400
>From:    "Frank L. Schrier" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Swollen Eye - Sick Ferret
>Our ferret, Kristi, was showing symptoms like sneezing, coughing, and watery
>eyes for 3 days.  On the 3rd day she vomitted once (brownish color).
 
Regarding the biopsy; I had discussed different methods of biopsying. Some
require no more than sedation. Remember, the smaller the sample, potentially
the less accurate it might be.
 
Regarding the eye; it might be related to the lymphoma.  The other
possibility is an extraocular (outside the eye globe) infection or swelling.
Regarding chemotherapy; unfortunately there are not a lot of options.  Full
chemotherapy, prednisone or do nothing.
 
>Date:    Fri, 19 Apr 1996 10:34:22 -0400
>From:    Jessica Woodward <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: A q about ece and humans
 
ECE is not contagious to a person to the best of my knowledge.
 
>Date:    Sat, 20 Apr 1996 06:47:36 +0900
>From:    Tetsuro Oka <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Distemper virus strain
>A Japanese vet said that a certain strain causes reactions for ferrets.
>What do you think about it ?  I've never heard of .
 
This is a pretty vague question.  Are you referring to canine distemper that
is 100% fatal to ferrets?  Or are you talking about a certain sub-strain of
canine distemper?
 
>Date:  Sun, 21 Apr 1996 17:43:27 +0000
>From:  "SOFA - Norma-ann Mooney, President" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Blood in Molly's Urine
>Hi everyone. i need (medical) advice again, please.
 
It might be an urinary tract infection (UTI).  It probably is not bladder
stones because once the pet is symptomatic for it, they usually remain
symptomatic.  Based on the bloody urine alone, I would not put adrenal
disease high on the list.  If the ferret is symptom free now, you can wait
for recurrence or have an urinalysis performed.
 
>Date:    Sat, 20 Apr 1996 19:52:03 -0600
>From:    "Paula E. Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: ECE question
>Charlotte and Kitka had *something* last summer which could have been ECE.
>Our vet looked at all the info from the FML, FAQ, etc.  & is not convinced
>that it was actually ECE, but it was something similar in symptomology
 
It appears that ECE is shed for up to 6 months post-infection.  If it has
been more than 6 months, any new arrival should be safe.
 
You are right about a new ferret infecting your ferrets.  Try to obtain a
ferret that has a clean bill of health for 6 months (I know this might not
be possible) and once you have him/her, keep them quarantined in your house
for a long time (the best would be six months, a practical alternative would
be 1 month).
 
>Date:    Sun, 21 Apr 1996 06:44:27 +0900
>From:    Tetsuro Oka <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Heartworm
>A Japanese vet said that ferret need blood test for microfilaria.  It is
>differet from FAQ.  Does microfilariae happen to appear in periferal blood?
 
Most ferrets are amicrofileremic so a filter test or Knott s is not
appropriate.  The SNAP from IDEXX does a good job detecting down to 2 (and
maybe 1) adult worm - especially female.
 
I have not personally seen a monthly medication (Heartgard/Interceptor)
reaction but I would suspect it would be treated symptomatically - fluids,
anti-emetics, etc.
 
>Date:    Sat, 20 Apr 1996 12:16:56 -0500
>From:    Nathan and Heather Viles <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Vet Question: ECE
>I was just reading Dr. Williams "Ferret Pathology Notes" And I got to the
>ECE section.
 
The bird seed quality is though to be undigested food/fat globules mixed
with cells and debris from the intestinal wall.  Any severe gastrointestinal
disease can result in it.
 
>Date:    Mon, 22 Apr 1996 05:11:45 UT
>From:    JANET YOUNG <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Prolapsed rectum?
>Hello, it's Janet from Toronto here with a request for help on behalf of a
>little foundling fert brought in to the local Humane Society...
 
A little sticking out is not a problem.  Check her for worms (especially
coccidia) and get her on a good diet.  Use an anti-diarrheal if needed.
Most will clear up without further problems.  Even a life long sticking out
is okay.  The main concern is that these can progress to a true prolapse
(1/4 inch or more) which needs surgical correction.
 
>Date:    Sat, 20 Apr 1996 11:59:24 -0500
>From:    Linda Peterson <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Testing for adrenal tumors
>Hi everyone!  I have two albino ferrets that I'm sure have adrenal gland
>problems, Snobol and Popcorn.
 
The best approach is the ferret adrenal panel run at University of Tennesse
Vet Diagnostic Lab. Most ferret adrenal tumors will not show on an x-ray.
 
>Date:    Sat, 20 Apr 1996 10:53:31 -0500
>From:    Robert Galvin <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Questions
>My spouse & I are concerned about Montague, our 5 year old, male/neutered
>ferret.  Over the last 6-8 weeks, he has been losing control of his bladder.
 
It may be the prostate.  Prostatic enlargments/cystic disease can lead to
continuous UTI problems.  Did the urinalysis show evidence of a urinary
tract infection?
 
Mike Dutton, DVM, DABVP
Weare Animal Hospital
Weare, NH.
[Posted in FML issue 1547]