STETHOSCOPE AND THUMB COUNTER:
 
A stethoscope and a thumb counter are valuable when counting a ferret's
pulse.  A ferret's heart rate is just too fast for most people to
accurately count, so don't try.  Just hold the stethoscope in place to
hear the heartbeat and click the counter with each beat.  Count for
EXACTLY 6 seconds (15 seconds are better), and then multiply the number
on the counter by 10 to get the heart rate (or by 4 if you counted for 15
seconds).  It might take a bit of practice, but you will get the hang of
it.  Don't worry if your count if off by a few beats; there is little
significant difference between heart rates of 120 and 130, so a minor
error will not greatly impact your results.  Remember, you are looking
for patterns and trends in heart rate; has it increased during the last
few weeks, or have you noticed it gradually slowing down?  Your vet would
be interested in knowing the long-term trends in heart rate.
 
If you don't have a stethoscope, if you place your finger on the inside
of the ferret's thigh, just at or below the groin, you should be able to
feel the throbbing of the femoral artery.  It will be harder to feel in
weak, sick ferrets, but you should be able to find it with persistence.
Use the thumb counter and you should get better results than trying to
count it in your head.
 
The stethoscope is also valuable for listening to the chest for wheezing
or wet sounds, but if you don't know how they sound, you are kind of at a
disadvantage.  What I tell people to do is to listen to a lot of HEALTHY
ferrets, and see a vet if you hear ANYTHING different in your sick
ferret.  After all, you don't have to know what it is you are hearing,
all you need to know is that it sounds different from normal.  If you are
not sure, use a healthy ferret as a comparison, listening to one first,
then the other.  Understand, you are NOT trying to diagnose a ferret, you
are just watching for danger signs, so make sure you see your vet when
you notice a change in chest sounds; DO NOT try to treat the problem
yourself!!  Don't forget to record your impressions in your logbook and
bring it with you to the vet.
 
Bob C
[Posted in FML issue 4402]