To Troy Lynn concerning pre-surgical fasts -
 
>Dr. Williams - Vixens doctor wants her off food by 9 p.m. the night before -
>isn't that an awfully long time for a ferret?  How long does it take for food
>to go through their digestive tract?
 
        Sorry to be so long in returning your message, but I don't get weekend
mail - all my FML come to my office.
 
        As you probably already know (hope everything turned out okay), Vixen
should do just fine.  Thre is some controversy about how long food should be
restricted, but a twelve hour fast is really not a problem for a ferret.
Ferrets have the ability to mobilized stored fat like no ohter species I know,
so as long as Vixen isn't skin and bones - she should be just fine, energy-wise.
Good luck!!!
 
       Bruce Williams, DVM                 Department of Veterinary Pathology
       [log in to unmask]         Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
       (202) 576-2453/2454                 Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
 
[Posted in FML issue 0929]