>Trying to find a good litter product that deodorizes better than
>Yesterday's News and doesn't compromise the health of my little fuzzies...
>...changing the pans at least three times a day and it still STINKS...
 
I would first look at the cause of the smell.  It is really not the litter,
it is the food you are feeding that creates odor.  Try Totally Ferret or
Innova as opposed to a corn or fish based food.  Should fix the problem in
a week or so.  Also Shepard and Greenes Kozy Korner Litter controls odor
much better than Yesterdays News, as it has an added enzyme for that
purpose..
 
>Jitters started coughing and went limp in her cage.  I took her out and
>tried giving her water, but Jitters refused and stayed fairly limp in my
>arms.  I set her on the car seat and she just lay there flat.  I put her
>back in the carrier and she just lay in there too.  So i rushed her back
>into the vets and they examined her again.  The vets gave her some nutra
>cal and said that her glucose may be down due to the stress of the office
>visit.
 
I tend to think this was an allergic reaction to the vaccine.  You might
want to speak with your vet about premedicating with Benadryl prior to
vaccinations in the future.  Also, do NOT give distemper and rabies shots
together.  I am not a vet, just an experienced owner.  BTW, you also
mention about your ferret yawning while being scruffed, this is a normal
reaction and won't hurt the ferret.  You can also speak to the vet about
using a solution of Ivomectin in mineral oil otically to get rid of the ear
mites.  You will also need to treat any other pets in the house as well as
clean the cage and bedding thoroughly or you will just continue to
recontaminate.
 
>Her on the other hand had a kit that had started drooling; was lathargic,
>eating, drinking & pooping fine; and now has started to drag his backend
>around.  All of this (except the hind end problem) came about on the Sunday
>after the show (the next day).
 
Could have been a low glucose problem triggered by stress.  Did the vet do
bloodwork?  These symptoms you descibe mimic insulinoma symptoms.  I would
look in that direction.  I have not heard of any other illnesses after this
particular show, but then I did not have ferrets with me in Cincy, so I
wasn't really listening for reports of illness.  Any time you take ferrets
out in public you face the risk of exposing them to illness.  ECE was
originally spread through the show circuit, and there was an outbreak of
distemper after a show where a breeder brought kits carrying distemper.  It
can happen, it is simply a risk that must be taken if you want to attend
shows.  Best thing you can do is limit contact between your ferret and
others, and limit who handles your ferrets.  Ask people who want to pet
your ferret to sanatise their hands first, and don't allow anyone with
obvious illness symptoms to handle your ferrets.
 
-Anne
[Posted in FML issue 2432]