I'm surprised that your vet would allow a female ferret in heat to "wait
and see." It's a potentially fatal condition that should be addressed by
some action and not by waiting.  If she is in heat it's quite possible
that, unless somehow taken out of heat, she could develop aplastic anemia
and die.
 
Our own experiences with the hormones are not too good, but I understand
that it has worked for other ferrets.  Breeding might work to get her
through the present heat, but neither provides for any long term solution.
Surgery will, providing the vet knows what he is looking for, and is
skillful.  If the heat is caused by a remnant of ovarian tissue, it might
be very difficult to find and may have migrated far from the site of the
original ovary.
 
Maybe you should have a serious talk with your vet and find out how
comfortable he is in doing the surgery; how many he has done in the past;
and what his success rate is.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 2369]