Da Vinci may well have a gastric ulcer, or problem with kidney/liver.
Please take him to a qualified vet for a check up!!!  The nodes in the neck
will swell if there is a heliobacter overgrowth which sometimes accompanies
ulcer conditions.  Only antibiotics will help in this manner.... also have
the pred dose checked-- pred can effect the organs-- and may also be
prompting the bad breath--
 
A very interesting note i found recently is that the FDA did agree about
ethoxyquin being too high ( and that tests concluded in a canine study) it
was harmful-- therefore they called for a reduction from 150 parts to 75
parts.  Now this is from a study which showed hepatic livers and liver
conditions--.
 
How do you feel about your ferrets diet now????  Iams contains ethoxyquin--
and it may be a source of the numerous problems we see posted on the FML of
ferrets with liver disease.
 
I am not a scientist, but all fur clothed critters be it canines or ferrets
bodies funbction in a similar manner-- if it has been deemed harmful to
dogs, it also must be to others.
 
Just a cautionary word, no I am not a scientist-- but I do significant
research.
 
Alicia
a shelter MOm
[Posted in FML issue 2125]