A few weeks ago I asked about local vets and info regarding my little ones
and their bizarre explosive diarrhea...
 
I was recommended by a fellow FMLer to try a vet in croton.  his name is dr.
hoskins.  I wasn't so sure that my vet was all that horrible, but when I
realized that it was going to 5 weeks of flagyl treatment and my babies
weren't better...i became even more frustrated!
 
when i first called dr.  hoskins at the animal hospital, i mentioned the fml
and he mentioned he knew a few of us fmlers.  that was a relief...he now
knew i wasn't a misinformed woman.
 
then i mentioned my doubts about the other vet and what was wrong.  he was
on the phone for over 15 min with me asking questions
 
he said i should try a few things and then if htat didn't work go to my vet
and mention those suggestions.  so, i don't htink he was looking for my
business (unless it was reverse psychology...that worked perfectly!!)
 
anyway, to shorten this.  the flagyl ran out.  when it did, of th efour, two
babies poops were solid but crumbly looking.  the fert with that had this
the longest and the owrst still had diarrhea the day the meds were finished.
my last boy has been having small dark dark green stools that are almost all
sludge.  with occasional normal, smaller ones.
 
anwyay, i called him and explained this and said i wanted to bring them in.
i made an appoint for the next day.  took in the two sicker ones.  after
collecting and hunting the rats down to get a good stool sample, we got
there and nico and fezzik proceeded to find the first corner they good and
took their "i'm nervous mommies!!" poop.  of course, they looked almost
normal!!  it figures!!
 
anyway, we went.  he didn't even touch them until he got a full history on
them.  detailing and writing it all down.  asked so many questions about my
nico, my older sicker ferret.  i felt at the other vet i was forcing trivial
info.
 
the old vet made me feel nico's cough was just him being a little sick and
we got anitbiotics.  this vet wsthinking like me...the wheezing cough and
overall lack of energy and playfulness might be an underlying condition that
he isn't showing true symptoms of.
 
i think heart condition everytime he wheezes and coughs.
 
when the doctor recommended an xray to check for heart condition.  i was so
happy!  and a blood work up to check his sugar levels.  he had it done injan
but the vet then said "a little low, but they may be b/c he hasn't eaten and
all" i now know that is how the test is supposed to be done.
 
        anyway, this vt is great. a little expensive.
 
i paid 42 each for the office visit for the two ferrets.  then 11 for meds.
total $42 for fecal exams (two of them.  21 each) and a direct fecal smear
exam was 15.
 
does anyone know the difference in the tests?
 
as for the exams, he found nico has a slightly enlarged spleen (other vet
didn't find!) and a focal cateract on his right eye.  said that it is
probalby congenial: something marshall's ferts are known for.  (i didn't
know that...but he said it has gotten mcuh better since they are "weeding
out" for better breeding stock.) other vet never checked the eyes!!  so, he
was great.
 
he noticed a large amount of a bacteria in nico's stool--called it coxcidia
(is that how you spell it?)
 
gave them albon liq.  solution for them.  he thinks that is what it is...he
has never seen coxcidia in fert.  but but has in dogs and cats.  says it
looks very similar.
 
if it wasn't that he felt it was g..gg...something that you get from water.
standing or well water..etc.  says humans get it too.  but that flagyl
usually is excellent for that, so he doesn't feel that is it.but he does
feel the flagyl was merely masking the symptoms (that was my thought after 4
weeks of giving the med) and we would see..
 
so...for all of you any wehre near this man.  dr. hoskins at croton animal
hospital.  go there.
 
i don't think he wanted to do too many tests that were unnecessary (do you?)
 
i'm getting nicos bloodsugar and chest xray on thurs.
 
do your doctors charge for ech ferret seen?
 
maybe bc/ it was the first time...my other vets never charge 42 dollars for
EACH ferret to be seen!!  always has been 32 dollars for one visit adn then
the others just paid for shots and meds if needed.
 
weird i think...
 
well, i am a very happy mommy rightnow.  thank you for letting me babble.
my family doens't understand how much better i feel about the little guys
now.  it is so easy (or should i say easier) to find a vet for dogs and
cats!!
 
        :)
        meg...feeling sucure in NY
[Posted in FML issue 2357]