Joanne, according to vet pathologist Bruce Williams the last time we
discussed this sort of thing ferrets have never been shown to have
strokes; they just don't form the plaques which dislodge.  What they DO
get (and cardiomyopathy is one of the big things which can cause these)
are thromboses -- thrown clots.  We've had that happen causing circling
in Meltdown who had it go to the brain.  (We have also had another,
Chiclet, who pulled one side on her last day -- and completely lost
sensory or mobility for her entire lower half -- after a massive fever
related seizure with an infection that was not responding to any
treatment (one of the first with DIM), but that is not applicable with
Bugz.)
 
With thromboses sometimes they will clean up on their own given a bit
of time, though if they are thrown to a limb then massage can be used
and that seems to help.  We had recoveries happen with Meltdown, with
cardiomyopathy with her earliest thrown clot but not with the last ones,
and another (who was for a while comatose and needing round the clock
hospital care, Spot, who later recovered so well that he only had minor
mobility damage to one hind foot and never threw another clot from his
kidney disease.
 
Some ferrets tolerate mild anticoagulants and can get some protection
from these.  Soem do not.  If a ferret gets serious bleeding from the
meds (as Meltdown did) then a small amount of protection can be provided
by supplementing extra Vitamin E because that reduces the amount of
Vitamin K which is involved in promoting clotting.
 
He is incredibly study sounding for 12 years of age, and you are doing
an incredible job for him!
[Posted in FML issue 4619]