Hello,
 
Once again I'm writing for help.  Only this time it is not for myself.  Two
members of the Alberta Ferret Society are very much in need of your advise.
All of you on the FML have come through for me when ever I needed it, so I
hope you can help these two also.  The do not have a computer and therefore
have no means of connecting to the Internet.
 
Their ferret Finnigan a 1year old, male (dalmation I think) from CDC in
Manitoba has been suffering the following symptoms for the last 5 months:
 
1) Weight loss - from between 1/2 to 1lb  (fluctuating)
2) Not eating or drinking - is being force fed up to 1 can of Boost per day.
3) Behavioral changes - has started biting, something he has never done
   before.
4) Fever
5) Depression and is easily tired - he will run for several feet then flop
   down and get up and start again.
6) Has had two intestinal bacterial infections recently.  Was taking
   clora....(something) an antibiotic.
7) Hair coat is poor.  Has lost some undercoat and the remainder is course.
   Does not seem to follow the pattern of adrenal though.
 
Becky who owns Finnagan is a vet technician, and is awaiting the results of
a blood work up which is taking longer than expected due to the long weekend
for Canada Day.  She's very frustrated because she says if she had know it
would take this long she would have done the work up herself.  She says
Finnigan is dying and she feels helpless to stop it.  We've recommended that
she switch from Boost to Ensure mixed with Baby Food, but aside from that
none of us at the Society (which is just recently formed) have had any
experience with a ferret with these symptoms.
 
Please e-mail me with any advice you have for them and I will pass it on.
 
Also........
 
This same couple also have a two year old female ferret who is a biter.
(where have you heard that before eh!) They have tried everything to stop
this behavior even resorting to using Depo-Provera which has calmed her down
but of course now she has a weight problem.  Also this is not a good long
term solution.
 
From what they have said she bites to inflict damage and is reluctant to let
go.
 
She loves her Daddy although she still bites him, but she seems to have it
in for the Mommy with a passion, so much so that if Mommy goes near Daddy,
fuzzkid attacks Mommy.  Hmmm do I detect some jealousy here.  Is that
possible?
 
They would dearly love to rehabilitate her but are out of ideas as to how to
do this.  If they can't get her to stop biting they will have to either find
someone willing to take a biter on or have her put down.  The latter being a
choice they would rather not have to make.
 
So if you have any ideas for them or would be willing to take on a biting
ferret please let me know and I will pass this information on to them.
 
BIG I hope this post isn't to long.  If so I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, I'll
never let it happen again.  Well at least not this week!
 
Barb Gustafson (aka Boots)
Vice President of the Alberta Ferret Society.
[Posted in FML issue 1995]