A lady I know, (my son once found one of her ferrets on the street),
has 3 ferrets. She has no computer and anything she has questions on,
she generally calls. I have ferrets and know more then some, but am
definitely not an expert and could really know a lot more.

She has a ferret, Marvin, who use to be kind of overweight, who lost a
lot of weight. She took him to a really bad vet who told her it would
cost $1000 for surgery and he probably wouldn't make it. The lady,
Joanna, called to tell me this and that they had decided to let him
die on his own. I suggested she give him baby food with cream often
and take him to a vet 45 minutes away. She did take my advice and did
as suggested. He survived and he did have adrenal surgery and was doing
okay.
 
Joanna works out of town several days a week and her mother goes to her
house 3-4 times a day to check on them. Cara (the mother) calls tonight
and tells me that Marvin feels really hot to the touch and asked about
another local vet that I suggested as a possible emergency type vet.
Cara doesn't drive, except in town, and so needed another alternative.
This vet doesn't know much about ferrets, but would work...possibly.
I'm wondering about if this ferret is getting too hot. She says they
have air conditioning (window unit in another upstairs bedroom) and a
fan and she checks to make sure the college grandson hasn't shut the
door. This ferret feels hotter to the touch than the others, on the
stomach. Cara also said she gives him a bath (including shampoo in the
water) twice a day. I instructed her not to add the shampoo for that
often. She said he seems weak. I suspect it's the heat. I really want
these ferrets over to my house during this heat spell, but am sure they
won't. I can't stand hearing about what these unknowledgeable people
are doing!

I've never been to their house, but can imagine what it's like. She
also mentioned that she was going to do another ear mite treatment
tomorrow. Not sure what they use.
 
Do you have any suggestions as to the possible cause of the fever, if
it's not heat related, and what to do about it? I do think they are
good people, but not sure they can afford what is needed nor the
knowledge of knowing how serious this could be.

I am going to suggest that they bring these guys to my house until the
heat wave passes, but from previous experience, they probably won't.

[Posted in FML 6038]