Dear Ferret Folks-

Thank you for your many kind words regarding France. She was a fine
Hog, a very fine Hog. To answer the big question I keep getting, she
contracted a poorly understood condition called "Wobbly Hog Syndrome."
It results in a creeping paralysis, and is ultimately fatal. Some Hogs
spend months with it, slowing down, but with a decent quality of life,
as was France's experience. Some Hogs are stricken and survive only
weeks. There are questions about WHS. Is it a nutritional problem? A
genetic one? Have Hogs always been prey to this, but it is showing up
now due to greatly increased lifespans as companions as opposed to the
much shorter ones they would know in the wild? Nobody knows, yet, and
as Hogs are not a terribly common companion animal, there is not a
terrific amount of pressure to find the answers.

For all of our frustration as members of the Ferret Community regarding
conditions such as Adrenal Disease, and the host of others that plauge
our small friends, know that there *are* people looking for those
answers, although the progress is slow, and any funding and support
*you* can provide will make those answers come faster. The Hog
Community is much smaller, and our answers are not coming any time,
soon. Every now and then Sukie or the IFC or the AFA mentions some way
that you can help with studies. Please think about that, the next time
you see one of those opportunities. That research doesn't come cheap.
Without our support, most of it won't come at all. Just being mad
doesn't get the research done.

Here is one to think about right now, from the AFA. (American Ferret
Association) It involves trying to determine the safe parameters for
distemper vaccinations. They need money, and they need veterenary
records from our ferrets.
http://www.ferret.org/news/07-april-titer_study.shtm
Either, or both from you would be very welcome. It might even save
small lives.

I've sent out a bunch of copies of the completed story. If you are
still waiting for yours and I have overlooked it, please drop another
note into my inbox.

I have to thank BIG for all of his silent, crypto-editing. I have
noticed over the years that the dialouge scenes, especially, in my
prose almost always wind up better formatted than the way I send them
out to the FML. Either BIG is doing it, or Bill Gates is a *big* fan,
albeit a secret one. (Bill Gates, if you are reading this, please
re-format your 'Word' writing program so that I can over-ride your
damn auto-grammar function! I *know* what I'm doing and I'm *tired*
of the little wiggly green lines!)

Alexandra in MA

[Posted in FML 5731]