As some have mentioned, abuse is not only aggressive but neglective, not
just beatings but abandonment.  If what was done to those ferrets was done
to a human child, most psychologists would call it abuse without question.
Leave your child in her room to defecate on her bed.... you get the
picture.  Most ferrets are rescued out of those kind of abusive situations.
What you did, Karen, was wonderful, and I hope you are reaping the rewards
in your heart every time you look at your new darlings.
 
Now for my lovely Kayla.... I've asked two vets their opinions, and they
are both stumped, so now I bring this problem to you, dear readers, in the
hopes that more heads are better! :-)  Kayla has a phlegmy rattle in some
part of her respiratory system whenever she does specific things.  99% of
the time it's only if she's doing the post-ferretone licking of my hand, or
drinking out of her watterbottle that I can hear this terrible noise.  My
vet thought it might be upper-respiratory congestion, but decongestants (in
her nostrils, no less) haven't helped.  The second vet (*the* ferret vet in
all of Vancouver) examined her and said he didn't believe it was an
infectious problem (no lethargy, she doesn't sneeze alot) so meds wouldn't
help, but he didn't have an explanation.  He said he would have to knock
her out and look down her throat to see if perhaps it was anatomical
problem.  He said there was probably nothing we could do.  But I really
hope he's wrong, because when my 1.8 lb girl sounds like she's gurgling
liquid in her lungs, I freak out.
 
Kayla is bright, alert, full of energy, gaining weight.  She doesn't make
this noise while playing, running or wrestling- which factors out
pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, etc.  She only makes it when she's drinking,
sometimes when she chokes on her food, and on the rare occasion when she is
being *very* vocal.  It always takes me by suprise because she's otherwise
quite healthy.
 
If this strikes a chord in someone, PLEASE let me know.  It's weird -well,
not as weird as no vulva- and I'd like the mystery solved.
 
Thanks!
 
Ariel
Jasper, Baxter & Kayla ({gurgle} why are you looking at me like that, mom?)
[Posted in FML issue 2484]