Hi!  I am by no means an expert on ferrets or ferret care as several
people on this list can attest to :).......I did just want to add my own
opinion/experiences to a couple of posts though.
 
The person who's ferret had a swollen vulva and no other symptoms of
adrenal disease (sorry, can't remember who it was) said that it went away
on its own and wanted to pass along the info so others would not panic
under those circumstances.  I just wanted to add that as an inexperienced
ferret owner, I ran across the same thing (swollen vulva and nothing else)
and I did panic......well, sort of.  I looked for any piece of info I could
find, asked LOTS of questions, consulted with two other vets other than
mine, did an ultrasound, and proceeded with surgery anyway within a couple
of weeks.  The only thing I did not do was the Univ.  of Tenn.  panel,
because I was advised against it.  Anyway, it turned out it was an adrenal
tumor in the left gland and it was cancerous.  My main point here I guess
is that, although a lot of us ferret owners tend to panic unnecessarily
(and I know I do!), it definitely is possible to have an adrenal fuzzy that
doesn't have the typical symptoms and if there is any doubt at all, get a
few opinions from knowledgable vets and ask LOTS of questions.  Don't wait
for hair loss if other symptoms are there.  The sooner it is discovered and
removed, the better.  Just didn't want any new subscribers or new ferret
owners to get the wrong idea and think that a swollen vulva in a spayed
female was okay to wait and see about.
 
My second comment/question is in regards to the person who has a fuzzy with
a cold and the vet vaccinated for distemper after diagnosing it as having
one.  I work for a vet, and we don't vaccinate animals that are ill.  My
understanding of it is that if the immune system is already compromised, it
increases the chances of the animal becoming infected with the disease they
were being vaccinated against.  Also something about it can hinder the
healing process I think.  Usually if an animal is sick (bacterial or viral
infection) and needs vaccinations, we wait until we do a recheck about a
week or so later.  I am not a certified tech or anything, just an
assistant, so most of my limited knowledge is based on what my boss tells
me or what I read on my own.  I don't like to question vets much, but is
this a common practice with others?  Has anyone else been told it is safer
to wait until they are completely healthy before vaccinating?  I don't
really know much about any other vets personal preferences on this because
my boss was my "kids" vet for years before I went to work there.  Just
curious.
 
A couple of random things now......I have been battling the ECE thing for
several weeks now.  One of my kids didn't respond to any treatment at all,
so I stopped all meds and started with a whole new treatment.  He has been
getting Pred for 8 days now (actually only giving it every other day) and
he is doing very well on this.  I have also been giving him duck soup with
brewer's yeast, slippery elm bark, and acidiphilus.  I also have been using
Viocase to aid in digestion.  He hasn't gained any, but hasn't lost any
weight either since his last visit to the clinic and he is active and
alert.  I was curious what to expect when I "cut him off" completely later
this week?  I read somewhere that it is only recommended to use this for 14
days and then to stop all medications.  He is being tapered off, but will
still be getting about 0.08cc's (5mg/15ml) when the 14 days comes up.  Has
anyone else used this?  Were there any complications when it was stopped?
Should I continue the soup feedings for awhile?  He won't eat it on his
own, and I would really like to be able to stop syringe feedings soon, but
I don't want to hurt him by doing so.  Any thoughts on this?  He is eating
his regular diet now.....but only about 2-3 ounces a day.....don't know how
much they should eat per pound to maintain weight.  His normal weight
should be a little over 3# and he is just barely over 2#'s now.
 
And, one last thing......I promise!!!!! :o)  One of my new kids is a dew
and her cage mate is a something or other.......a medium silver pattern
mitt?????  I don't know what he is to be honest, but he is SO cute!
Anyway, lots of yellow/orange where they should be white.  Diet shouldn't
be an issue now (they were eating Kitten Chow), and they have been bathed
once since I brought them home (over a month ago).  Are there any special
shampoos for whitening that are safe for ferrets?  I have seen several for
dogs, but none that say they are safe on kittens or ferrets.
 
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
 
Stacia and the fuzzies:
Kali, Rama, Sati, Krishna, Lakshmi, Tandu, and Bhut
[Posted in FML issue 2438]