Hallo, I thought I could inform everyone about these products since the
question was raised.  I do work in an animal hospital and have been to many
seminars about these products, and have heard their "up's and downs".  To
begin, what protection does your ferret need?  If you have mostly indoor
fuzzies that are never going to be exposed to the outdoors, heartworm
should not be of concern unless your fuzzies are kept in areas that
mosquitoes have a chance of invading and biting them.  For the most part,
the SAFEST heartworm treatment would be Heartguard for cats, 9lbs and
under.  You give ONE HALF of a pill to each ferret, once a month.
Heartguard protects against parasites (hookworm, round worm and whip worm)
and heartworm.  After you give your 1st pill, all the parasites (except for
heartworm) are killed and flushed outta yer ferrets (animals) body.  If
heartworm is already present, a doctor must be seen immediately.  Thus if
you think you ferret has been exposed to a lot of mosquitoes and want to be
extra sure, pay the $30 to have the heartworm test done.  All that the test
involves is drawing blood, no pain (if you stick em' right).  Anywhoo, back
to the point...Heartguard is great JUST for the prevention of heartworm and
the other parasites.  If you want flea protection in addition to that,
FRONTLINE and ADVANTAGE are your prescription choices BECAUSE they are
unfortunately animal tested (on beagles and cats) but are proven NOT to be
dangerous if overdosed.  A WARNING!!!  DO NOT USE THE OVER THE COUNTER FLEA
PRODUCTS ON YOUR FERRETS, THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO KILL YOUR FERRET!!!
Most OTC products are for dogs and dogs only!  Notice how they say "do not
put on cats (large ferret=cat).  View flea protect as putting bug spay and
chemicals onto your animal.  The OTC kind are just that.  They are
dangerous to your ferret and you.  Use only vet approved product.  For just
fleas, ADVANTAGE is great.  Use 1/2 a tube on each ferret.  Part the fur
and put a drop between the shoulders, a drop near the base of the tail and
a drop on the middle of the belly.  You do this ONCE A MONTH, BUT...if the
ferret gets wet, say bub bye to protection.  Reapply if they get drenched.
Frontline protects against fleas and ticks.  1/2 a tube once a month in the
same areas 2 DAYS BEFORE BATHING OR 2 DAYS AFTER.  Frontline needs the
bodies oils to travel properly.  Frontline also stores itself in the oil
ducts, thus if you ferret decides to go swimming, there is no need to
reapply.  Frontline for cats (smallest lbs. range you can get) is best.  I
think cats to 9lbs.
 
HOW FLEA PRODUCTS WORK: THEY DO NOT WARD OFF FLEAS!!
Flea products such as frontline and advantage do not keep the fleas from
coming, but it kills and sterilize the ones that are there.  What they do
is each time a flea goes for a blood meal, they must make contact with your
animals skin, thus, eating some of the product.  After the adult flea
ingests this product, they either act as though they are drunk (advantage)
or as they took a large amount of speed (frontline).  The product is taken
up into the fleas receptors and neurological screws the flea up, making
them retarded and eventually die within 12-48 hours.  Any eggs that are
present are in danger too.  Pupa and larva stages feed on dead skin cell,
and those cells now contain the product, thus sterilizing the larva and
killing it.  And that's the deal.
 
Any questions?  Please email me!  I have literature up the yazooooo and
lots of experience.  All my ferrets are taking heartguard and use frontline
during the warm months.  Even though I don't take them out that much, I
have 2 indoor cats that love to go outside, eat grass, then bring a bug or
two inside.  I also have friends with animals.  A friend can transport one
pregnant flea into your house, and BOOOM, itch itch itch everywhere.  So,
I'm a rather be safe than itchy type of girl.  All my fuzzys don't mind
either.  The heart pill is like candy to them anyway, so no pain there
either.
 
BITING:
Okay, I rescued a kit from my brothers pet store from being sent back to
MF.  She bit the manager, drew blood, bit the other manager, drew blood.
She was so tiny then.  Now she is 12 weeks old (was 5 when I took her home)
and she just lunges at everything and.....bites it.  And she's reallllllly
hyper.  Bounce bite, jump bite, bite bite bite.  I know she's young, and
I've dealt with many kits like this.  Rehabilitate the boogers when they
arrive at the store, but never one like this.  She gets along with all my
other ferrets fine (except Dakota, who is the youngest, power struggle) ANY
TIPS OUT THERE?  My parents don't want her in the house anymore because
of her habit.  I keep telling them she is young and learning.  Kits are
normally easily excitable and nippy.  I never hit her either.  When ever
she bits someone when they are not playing with her (like walk up and bite
them) I either give her a time out in the cage, or I scruff her right away
and touch her nose (not flick) and say a loud no, then put her down.  I
even had all my friends coat their ankles and hands in bitter apple and
Tabasco so that when she did bite, she'd go yuck....then she'd bite again,
and go yuck....then bite again... SIGH.  She doesn't bite me anymore unless
I am playing with her, then she just play nips me, which doesn't even hurt
(like she'll have my finger in her mouth, but it's just that, no teeth
marks) I can carry her around and she'll not bite me, but when anyone else
even gets close to her, she lunges and bites, if they are holding her,
she'll find that one loose finger and bite it as hard as her little mouth
possible can.  Argh.  I'm running outta ideas folks, except that maybe as
she gets old, she'll grow out of this phase, or everyone in my house has to
pay attention to her everyday until she gets used to them.  bleh
 
Andrea and the 10 fuzzy kleptos
Pookie: I wish my shaved patch would grow back already.
Merv: I'm going to be in the show! yay!
Lucy: Me too, but why the tiny category mom? How degrading.
Dakota: Cough, gurgle, cough.  (sigh)
Tessa (formerly Krystal):  I bite. I bite and bite and bite.  except mommie.
but I bite.  everyone wants to get rid of me but mommie.  but I can't help
it because I bite. (any tips for training this brat?)
Lavern: oh, you really think that you can hide the pacifiers from me.  think
again
Shirley: Merv is my boyfriend. I love him so much. Kisses to all.
THE 3 CO-OWNS: Skrappy: I miss you mom.  I need a belly rub.
               Cybil: miss you mom, I need a human to play with me the way
               I like to play and buy me toys that I pick out.
               Razkal: um, I know you don't like me much because I pounce
               on everyone and bite them (ferrets, not humans) but I can
               change, really I can.
[Posted in FML issue 3009]