In addition to a regular "people" first aid kit, for ferrets we keep the
following:
 
Antibiotics:
Amoxi
Albon
Metrodiazole
Clavamox
(Our vet keeps us stocked so he can simply prescribe over the phone for
minor things on evenings and weekends, like doctors used to do in days past)
 
Other meds:
Pepto
Ammodium
Carafate
Pepcid AC
Benadryl
Prednisone
 
Emergency Supplies:
 
Ringers
Injectable Steroids
Epinephrine
 
We also have the appropriate needles, syringes, rubber gloves, a scale,
various herbal remedies and supplements, jars of baby meat, Nutrical,
Laxatone, mineral oil, Ivemec, Neosporin, vet wrap, glucose tabs.
 
I'm sure I have missed a few things.
 
Now, I do want to make a few clarifications here... When we have a medical
emergency, we call the vet.  Regretfully our vet is about 45 minutes away,
and in 45 minutes a ferret could easily be dead.  We also have made
arrangements with a more local vet who admittedly doesn't know much about
ferrets, but has agreed to be there in an emergency and consult with our vet
over the phone while rendering first aid type of treatment.  We generally
consult with the vet before beginning any course of treatment, and make a
trip to the vet in cases of injury or of any illness which has not cleared
in a few days or is serious in nature (seizures would be one example).  A
home first aid kit for ferrets should NEVER be a substitute for professional
veterinary care, only a stopgap until you can get to the vet in an emergency
situation.  Other than the ringers used in cases of dehydration, we would
never give any of the injectable medications without having the vet on the
other end of the phone telling us to, and how much, etc.
 
Our vet has taught us how to administer the medications he provides to us.
Some of the drugs mentioned above are very powerful and serious stuff, and
will kill your ferret if used improperly.  Keep an open line of
communication with your vet.  Have him/her show you how to administer drugs
if you are using them for the first time.  Don't give your ferret
medications without talking to your vet first (other than perhaps a dose of
Ammodium or Pepto if he has some diarreah- but if it persists more than a
day it is time for a trip to the vet).
 
-Anne
[Posted in FML issue 2307]