I've been swamped and have hardly been able to read email, much less post.
Been spending LONG hours in front of piles of archaeological bone and down
at the scanning electron microscope.  I am attempting to get into the couple
hundred emails this weekend.
 
Foster and Sandy Update: I am one of those guys that have no problem in
admitting they are wrong, and I was definately wrong holding off giving
steriods to Sandy (for inoperable adrenal tumors) and to Foster (for severe
arthritis).  Foster gets 0.3cc and Sandy 0.2cc of prelone (?) every other
day.  The change has been remarkable and dramtic.  Foster has his old
energy, and is back to climbing and jumping off stuff.  He is actively
playing, and even though it is obvious he is still having hip problems, he
is also having fun again.  The steriod hasn't reversed his cataracts, but
now, instead of just sniffing the air, he is running over to find out what
the thing is.  And he is back to eating lots of chicken and fish.
 
Sandy has similarly been affected by the drug, but in her case, her body
temperature has dropped back to normal, and she has *regrown* her hair!!
She now looks like an albino with a crew cut!  I've been calling her
short-haired ferret.  She is not nearly as fanatic at the water dish, and
her appitite is back to normal.  What a turn around!
 
I have always hated giving steroids because of their side affects, so put it
off on Foster until his arthritis got so bad he could hardly walk.  I didn't
start them on Sandy until I knew her tumors were inoperable.  But now I wish
is wasn't so hard-headed, and had started both of them on the steriod
treatment much earlier.  To stave off the anticipated anti-steroid mail, I
have to say not all ferrets may respond as quickly nor as well as Foster and
Sandy, and the disease process in both is not necessarily reversed, but
perhaps slowed or suspended.  Still, at this point, that is good enought for
me, and the ferrets now have a higher quality of life, which is the bottom
line.
 
Many thanks to the 78 people who wrote me with advice for both.  Your
comments were appreciated and useful.  Some I will try on myself!
 
Bob C and 20 MO Raisin Hounds
[Posted in FML issue 2078]