Theresa, if you are in NJ and have your permit the FG&W which does the
permits for pets other than livestock or dogs and cats can help you out.
They have helped others (and even been willing to witness in court) and
they list ferrets as an exotic pet species.  (I know that "exotic" is not
an ideal listing, but they get funds from the permits and they have been
our allies.  While their funding is diminished -- a problem left over
from the ex-governor who also left the state with a lot of debt that will
make this longer term than it otherwise would be -- we want FG&W on our
side instead of them feeling further threatened financially which is
something that could backfire, so the word "exotic" is something that
eventually will be better tackled here when their funding is more stable
at some point in the future, especially since they have gone out of their
way to help ferrets and the ferret community, and the word isn't doing
any harm partly because they have fought on our side -- which makes NJ
different from some other states, perhaps from a good number of other
states, at this time.)
 
If you aren't in NJ but are in a different state requiring permits check
with the state agency which supplies those permits, but try the first
idea below first since it is faster and use this idea later, perhaps
along with a text photostat if you need it such as a copy of a page from
Walker's mammalian taxonomy text or a similar text to be found in many
libraries.  If you use the Walker page then also include similar pages
for the sections that cover cats and dogs so that if someone says
"Weasels; they are related to weasels and weasels are wild!" you can
point out what it says that cats and dogs are related to...
 
The quick and dirty solutions are: to have a letter on letterhead from
your vet stating that ferrets are pet members of carnovora like dogs
and cats and that they are related to otters (since everyone knows that
otters are cute)..
 
Re: the tortured one: keep a copy of the "Compendium of Animal Rabies
Control" handy.  Glad that you stood up and that they agreed to the
proper quarantine.  It sounds like the seller must have been able to
show that the individual had been vaccinated because some state require
a 6 month quarantine otherwise and death is more likely.  For anyone who
doesn't know, you'll find a link to the Compendium by going to the
Critical References at http://www.ferretcongress.org .
 
Seedy feces is typically an indication that fats (and oils) are not being
broken down.  That can happen with some digestive problems or diseases,
and can happen if too much fat (or oils) given.
 
Your other mention -- of shedding -- reminds me to put up the regular
reminder: digestible oils do NOT help with furballs.  Fats actually slow
digestion (which might even worsen things for passing furballs) so folks
should not make the mistake of giving those.  The products which work
are non-digestible ones.
 
Dave, if your vet is not used to ferrets be sure to read the paragraphs
on liver results in http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
 
Go to "HTML Documents (for veterinarians and veterinary pathologists)"
and open "Confusion and Controversy in Interpreting Ferret Clinical
Pathology Data" then go down to why some liver blood test results get
confused by those used to dogs and cats, and which one (bilirubin) to pay
good attention to and why.  The section of interst to you today begins:
 
"The Chemistry Profile
 
As with the CBC, there are several unique features of the chemical
profile of the ferret; indeed, it is with the clinical chemistry that
the majority of misdiagnoses are made by the "un-ferret-knowledgeable"
practitioner.
 
Probably the most common misinterpretation that I see on a routine basis
is in the area of hepatic enzymes..."
[Posted in FML issue 3961]