The new little addition to our family, Oliver, has just been diagnosed as
having bilateral juvenile cataracts.  He is an eleven week old albino.  Our
vet said that it was difficult to test his vision at this time, but his
pupils are dilated and he always has his nose touching the ground when he is
in a new area.  She put him on a counter in the examining room to see if he
could tell where the edge was, and he appeared to find it with his nose.
When his nose got to the end he jumped backwards a little bit.  I donUt
think heUs completely blind yet, but he will be soon.
 
If anyone out there has a blind ferret or has had one in the past, would you
please email me.  I would like to know if there are any extra precautions I
should take with him.
 
He is doing well with our 4 other ferrets and the little kit that we have
been babysitting.  Some of you may remember my post last week about ferret
math.  Well, there will soon be another kit joining our family.  The breeder
is giving me another one because of OliverUs guarantee.  At first they told
me that I could exchange him and that he would be put to sleep.  But when
they found out that I didnUt want him to be put to sleep, they were happy to
let me keep him.
 
I would like to thank Meg Carpenter for the encouragement and advice that
she gave me about blind ferrets.
 
Terri and Derek
Gus, Fester, Rippey, Kirby and Oliver
[Posted in FML issue 1823]