Hello people
 
Just thought I'd share something that I learned from our vet the other day.
I was getting very concerned about Chucky's snuffling and chesty cough so
decided it was time to pay the vet another visit.
 
I took the article from SAFA about "Cryptococcus neoformans" as I was
concerned that Chucky might have contracted this.  Our vet explained that if
Chucky had this, he would have been dead long ago because the cryptococcus
attacks the nasal passage and forms large marble-like polyps in the nose
which cause deformity and makes breathing very laboured.  Not only that, but
it is extremely contagious and deadly, as it invades the brain!  Pretty
scary stuff and caught, apparently, from bird droppings.
 
Chucky's snuffling was due to an upper respiratory infection which, the vet
explained, was like the herpes virus.  Could lie dormant for ages and then
something triggers it and off he goes, sneezing and wheezing his little
heart out.  He prescribed .2ml of Betamox twice a day and Chucky's back to
being his silly self again, running backwards around the house (anyone
else's ferret do that?)!!
 
Another fright was caused by our silvermitt, Fidget, the other Sunday.  We
came home and I took all of the furpals out of their condo, putting them all
inside the laundry.  They all started dooking and dancing around and then
made a beeline for the food bowl, which they share with the cats.  I was out
of the laundry for about a minute and when I returned, I saw Fidget standing
by the food dish and it seemed like she had something dark on her face - I
bent down and almost freaked out, as her right eye was just a pool of blood
and there was a steady drip of blood down onto the floor.  I honestly
thought she'd had her eye gouged out.  Grabbed her and Alexia and I went
flying off to the vet - how I drove there without an accident I don't know -
but thankfully, by the time we got there, the bleeding had stopped and we
saw her eye was still there.
 
The vet looked and said there was a tiny scratch  on the inside of her eye -
I really don't know what happened but can only imagine she got walloped by
oe of our cats and the claw must have scratched her eye.  So she has to have
Chlorsig drops 3 times a day and so far, so good. No further problems :-)
 
Hugs to all your ferts from their Aussie friends.
 
Nona and the psychotic sixsome.
[Posted in FML issue 2012]