Hi All,
 
I am prompted by recent events to tell you all that you should never
believe everything someone tells you without talking to a lot of other
people as well.   I recently described my shelter fert Rocki's condition
with someone who shall remain nameless.  The response I got back was:
 
>For the bad news I talked to my partner and here is are theory.If it isnt
>Vaginitis then here is what it could be but I pray it isn't because there
>will be nothing you can do.There is a pituitary Gland at the base of the
>brain that gets a tumor on it and triggers the ferret to go into heat even
>if they are spayed so tell your vet to check and let me know if this is it
>I hope he is as good as you say and can save her because we lost alot to
>this problem.
 
After receiving this response I chose as always to confer with professionals
(i.e.  Vets) on this issue.  I was happy that I did.  This was a ferret
educated Doctor's response:
 
>Kelleen - this is bad information from someone who doesn't really
>understand what they are talking about.  Pituitary tumors are extremely
>uncommon in ferrets and don't cause spayed females to go into heat.  We
>only see the signs of vulvar swelling as a result of adrenal tumors in
>ferrets.  I'm not sure why this person lost "a lot", but I know it wasn't
>due to a pituitary problem.
 
In talking to people about ferrets I have never received such varying
information about anything else in my life.  In order to make a truly
informed decision about ANY aspect of ferret care (food, medical treatments
etc..) you absolutely have to talk to as many people as you can and
especially all the professionals you can reach.  Then you consider all you
have been told and make the best decision you can.
 
Someone on the list recently made a statement something like "Don't bother
to listen to your vet when they tell you to go out and buy expensive food"!
EXCUSE ME?  Sorry, but I think it is really unprofessional and
counter-productive to tell people NOT to listen to their vets.  How many
years have you put in at a veterinarian school?  If you cause people to not
take their vets advice about food don't you think they may not take the
advice on everything he tells them from then on?  If people are not willing
to hear what their vet says and an emergency comes up all it takes is a
slight hesitation to follow the vets advice and they could end up with a
tragedy.
 
The farms may get away with feeding cheaper food that may not be the optimal
diet mainly because their ferrets are sold young and so they do not stay
there eating it all their lives.  Yes the ferrets may look healthy with
great coats etc....  but just because the coat looks good does not mean they
are going to be healthy for a long time.  Heck, I've heard many people here
mention people that feed their ferts strange diets (like dog food) but the
coats look beautiful.  So what does that tell you?  For long term care and
health we can only go by what the evidence has proven thus far.  It seems at
this point the best we can do is to buy the high quality kitten/cat food
and/or the high quality ferret food.  If there is ever testing done that
proves mink food is actually "good" for ferrets then I will buy it at that
time and not before.
 
So back to my original point.  :-) I just want to urge everyone to do your
homework and become an investigator when it comes to our little guys
welfare.  PLEASE get a 2nd opinion, 3rd opinion and so on if needed.  Use
common sense and add up all the info.  you receive and then make the best
decision that you can.  We are only human and not perfect and sometimes even
our best efforts may not be enough.  Rest easily knowing that you are doing
your absolute best for your fuzzlebugs because they already know that!  TNT!
 
*******************************************************
*      Kelleen & the INSANE Animal House              *
*      President and Founder of F.A.N.G.              *
*      (Ferret Association of Neverending Glee)       *
*      405 S. Orchard   Boise, Idaho  83705           *
*      [log in to unmask]                               *
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*   I'll take a good animal over a good mate anyday!  *
*   All they want is lots of love and great chow.     *
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*         Idiocy is our only option!                  *
*     Dustin Hoffman from movie Outbreak              *
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[Posted in FML issue 1526]