Hi, guys!
 
URSA
Brenda, thank you for sharing Ursa's story.  I am so sorry to hear about
your loss, but your advice may well help save another ferret's life.
Everyone should be aware that not all of our critters will necessarily get
along.  Both dogs and cats can, if so minded, kill a ferret.  Ferrets can
kill smaller animals (rabbits, mice, birds).  Sometimes ferrets and other
critters can become the best of buddies.  New pets should be introduced
slowly, cautiously, and with supervision.  Thank you again for sharing this
difficult story.  P.s.  How wonderful that you've decided to become a vet!
It's good to know that another caring person will be there to help.
 
MEDICATING ADVICE
Poor Paleface.  He's got to take medicine again.  As I mentioned before, the
vet has prescribed antibiotics for him in the hopes that his lethargy is a
symptom of a low-grade chronic infection.  Otherwise...  Out comes the
spleen...  Anyway,  in giving him this medicine, I had a moment of EUREKA.
 While this may seem like common sense, many folks new to medicating ferrets
may benefit.
 
If you have to give a ferret liquid medicine, be sure to administer it
slowly enough for him/her to swallow it easily.  I noticed that Paleface
made much less of a fuss about it all when I just dribbled a drop or two at
a time in the corner of his mouth.  Be careful not to "flood" the little
guys.  In this case it's NOT better to "get it over with quickly." Hope that
little bit of advice helps someone out.
 
A STORY ABOUT OPEN WINDOWS
With the season of Open Windows approaching, I thought I would take the time
to share this story with you.  This is one of those stories that is kinda
funny in retrospect.  Kinda funny.  Really scary.
 
Long ago (junior year of college), I lived in the lovely attic apartment of
an old house on a very tall hill.  (Talk about flights of steps when you
move in and out...  Ohhh...) Anyhoo, it was a lovely spring day, and I had
opened the window near the kitchen table.  I went about my business, and in
a short time noticed that Paleface was no where in sight.  Uh oh.
 
Surely he didn't...  But ferrets can't climb on kitchen tables!!  (O.K.  So
I was new to this ferret-thing.) Well, he can and he did.  Right out the
window.  OHMYGOD.  I peeked my head out of the window, and there was my boy
standing proudly in the gutter.  What to do now?  You can't just reach out
and grab him; he'll wardance backwards.  He sure as heck doesn't come when
you call his name.  It's a looong way down three stories and a hill.
 
To make a long story short(er), I gently coaxed him to within arm's reach,
grabbed my little guy, and slammed that darned window shut.  Boy was I
lucky.
 
Wishing everyone well!
 
Gina
and
Paleface
 
Moral of the Story: Be extra careful about those open windows.  Be sure
that they have screens.  Be sure that the screens are very secure.  Ferrets
can and do climb, and can reach some of the darndest places if they have a
mind to.
[Posted in FML issue 1513]