I regret to say, that I can not read this forum on a regular basis, but
when I have come for help everyone is extremely willing and helpful.

I had 4 ferrets as of Friday and have been babysitting 4 for friends.
Mine range in age from 3-7, 1 girl and 3 boys. The boys were all
healthy and younger. My baby girl, is the 7 year old, and has been
borderline Insulinoma for about 6 months now. I have already had to put
my other boy, Fuzzy, down a year and a half ago, after battling with
Insulinoma. So anyways. The 4 that have been staying with us are all
under a year. Very energic and bouncing off the walls. I noticed my
Snowman Poop (albino) had lost a little weight. I figured it was
because he had been playing more than usual because of the newer kids.
Friday night I realized he had lost quite a bit of weight. Saturday
night I found him dead. I have been looking at poop ever since the new
kids came, I am aware of ECE and the signs. I have just been keeping an
eye on all of them in general. So Monday, I took Snowman to the vet for
cremation. But I also took in Buster (boy approximately 3-4 yrs). He
looked like he lost a little weight also, not nearly what Snowman had
lost, but he is really the hyper one, but likes to play by himself, but
he had been sleeping alot and not really playing with anyone. The bad
thing is ferret vets come and go where I live, and its been hard to
keep the same vet. This is the first time I have seen this one. She
said that Buster's lymphnodes were swollen. I asked about infection
(humans mean infection/sick). She said possibly but also lymphnoma. She
gave me an anticbotic to give him twice a day, if he doesn't perk up in
a couple days bring him back. Run blood tests, biopsy his lymphnodes,
etc. He has sinced to be back to his normal bouncy self for the past
two days. I can totally except that it can be considence that I have
one dead ferret and one cancerous ferret within a couple weeks of 4 new
ferrets coming here, but the likely hood of that compared to something
is actually going around ...... I have done my research in the past and
again since Saturday as to what it could be. There is no diaherra, no
green poops, my other two ferrets are fine and haven't lost any weight,
and the 4 newer kids are all fine. Their poop is a little lighter in
color than mine, but they also eat different food. I guess I am just
looking for any suggestions as to what this if anything could be. I can
not afford an autopsy for my Snowman Poop, so for a definate answer as
to what killed him.... I don't know.

Any help that anyone can provide I wold greatly appreciate. I love my
babies, all my animals are not pets to me, they are my family, they are
my kids. And if I could I would do anything for them. But at the same
time, money is short, as it is with everyone right now. I'm just hoping
I can find some sort of answer that I can accept and understand... Does
that make sence? It's late.....

Thanks again
Tabatha & "The Zoo"

[Posted in FML 6268]