Hello again!
 
I received some great help the last time I wrote about Squeegy's health
problems, so here is another shot.  I am sorry to report that he is still
having secondary infections and a low body weight since he contracted ECE on
Oct.  1, 1996.  He is currently on his fourth antibiotic.  He now takes this
well, with the addition of chocolate Sustical.  I am currently handfeeding
him 2X a day with chicken baby food and Sustical, about 15-20 cc each time.
He also eats some of his dry kibble in his cage, but seemingly less than
usual.
 
At his last vet visit, he had gone up from 1 lb.  13 oz.  to 2 lb.+ His
normal weight is around 2lb.  5-8 oz.  The vet said this weight increase was
good, but agreed with me that he was losing some hair.  Mostly the hair loss
is on the underside of his tail and on his rump.  The vet commented that on
his rump, he seemed to be loosing guard hairs, but not much of his
undercoat.  In the past week or so he has continued to lose hair, but he
does not look really bald, except on the underside of his tail.  I was gone
for Thanksgiving and hired a babysitter.  He looked worse when I got home,
but has improved markedly since I have been TLC-ing him.  He missed me.  :)
 
Now I have learned from the FML that hair loss does not always mean adrenal
problem.  Maybe he is stressed out from the disease, maybe it is because his
diet is different.  I have also heard that blackheads can cause hair loss
and are treatable.  I have looked at his tail, but I am not sure if I am
seeing blackheads, or new guard hairs growing in.  Squeegy is a dark
silvermitt and his guard hairs are black and silver.  How do you diagnose
blackheads?  How are they treated?  Does anyone have any other suggestions
for me?  Squeegy and I are both trying to be long-suffering about this
ordeal.
 
A funny note: Squeegy now thinks that all of my food is his food.  I live in
a small studio and I often eat on the couch (who doesn't).  I think he
considers me a source of all things edible since I handfeed him so much.  He
will steal chicken soup (too hot?  Who cares!), pasta with pesto sauce,
honey ham deli meat, ramen noodles, and anything else he can get a sniff of.
Makes it hard to eat in peace, so I usually give him his own snack on a
plate on the floor.
 
I love Squeegy to death and I am saddened by his continuing illness.  My
other ferret Hoover has become more affectionate with me, because Squeegy
does not want to play, he just wants to sleep.  Any suggestions are greatly
appreciated.  Thank you all for your support and good information.
 
Lori, Squeegy the ailing, and Hoover the Groovemeister
[Posted in FML issue 1774]