Dear Patrick,
 
I am so sorry to hear that your little boy isn't feeling well.  You
obviously love him dearly, and you've clearly searched far and wide for
ways to help him through his illness.  I know how difficult it is to find
a ferret-knowledgeable veterinarian, especially when you live in a less
populated area.  Your best best is to get in touch with a shelter, club, or
other contact in your region to see if they can recommend anyone.  Perhaps
LOS Nebraska can be of help.  Their contact is Shelly Knudsen, and you can
reach her at (402) 463-0190 or [log in to unmask] (per the AFA's shelter listing
at http://www.ferret.org/shelters.htm).  I also know that Pitts Veterinary
Hospital at 2225 Hwy 2, Lincoln NE (402-423-4120) was an AFA member in the
past, so they may have a greater interest in ferrets and their treatment
than most.  You may also consider having your veterinarian consult with
other veterinary professionals.  Both Dr. Weiss
(http://www.ferretdoctor.com) and Dr. Williams
(http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html) offer fantastic consultation
services.
 
As for what may be wrong, it is difficult to say without a veterinarian's
diagnostic knowledge and tests.  As Mary McCarty suggested, this sort of
coughing is often indicative of heart trouble (e.g. cardiomyopathy) or
possibly a respiratory infection.  To learn more about cardiomyopathy,
please visit http://www.miamiferret.org/FHC/cardiomyopathy.htm and
http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/cardio.html The swollen glands could
be indicative of another disease called lymphoma, but again without a
hands-on examination from a good veterinarian, it's impossible to know.
For more information about this disease, please see
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/lsa.html
(this site has some unpleasant medical photos at the top of the page, so
you may wish to scroll down quickly if you don't wish to see them).  More
information is also available at
http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/lymph.html.
 
I hope that this information helps to shed some light on what might be
wrong with your little guy, and more importantly I hope that it helps you
and your veterinarian to find just the right treatment.
 
Best wishes to you,
Regina Hart
President & Webmaster, American Ferret Association
http://www.ferret.org
[Posted in FML issue 3329]