To Leighanne:
I'm not a vet or a vet tech, but I did work in an animal hospital for many
years.
 
You're correct in your thoughts about fasting ferrets for surgery.  not only
do you need to consider their high metabolic rate, but their short digestive
tract as well.  Remember, it's only about 3 hrs from mouth to butt.
 
I'm doing an article on this very subject for our next newsletter - I spent
an entire afternoon playing "joe client" and called 15 local animal
hospitals - some of them "ferret knowledgable" and pretended I wanted to
schedule a ferret neuter.  Only 1 of 15 gave me the correct answer -
Brockport Animal Hospital.  The rest told me from 6 PM, 9 PM, or midnight
the nite before.
 
Dr Judi Bell says they should be fasted for no more than 6 hours.  Remember,
just because your ferret is dropped off at 7 AM does not mean he is going
directly into surgery.  It may be 2 or 3 hours before any given ferret (or
any other animal) is actually prepped for surgery.  This adds to the length
of the fast.
 
Debbie Ricci
WNYFLFA
Rochester, NY
[Posted in FML issue 1570]