Hey gang --
 
I've been a multiple ferret owner for over 6 years now and after being on
the FML for 6 months I now know more than I ever did.  I thought since this
forum is so saturated with ferret knowledgeable people that it would be the
perfect place to pose a few questions I have been wondering about.
 
Last December I adopted the sweetest little blaze from the Ferret Aid
Society.  Coco was approx.  1 year when he came to live with me and I
thought he would be with me for a long time... unfortunately, that wasn't
the case.  In July he developed some sort of tumor on the side of his head
and all of the vets were baffled.  Surgery was too risky, according to U of
Guelph vets, and there was nothing more that could be done for him.  I felt
so helpless that this poor little guy that I had grown to love so very much
was going to leave me so soon.  We hoped for the best, but inevitably the
tumor began to put pressure on his spinal column (we'd later find out that
it was eating the bone away) and he was rapidly losing motor skills.  When
he told me it was time, we helped him across the bridge.
 
So my question is... Do blaze ferrets have more health problems?  I ask
this because of the high occurrence of deafness in these guys - that maybe
their genetic predisposition might also lead to other illnesses.  I am no
breeding expert so I thought I'd put it out there for the people who are.
I don't base this on Coco's illness, either - I know that his was a very
rare cancer from what we can tell (still awaiting complete post mortum
results).  My friend also had a blaze who developed cancer and died
relatively young even by ferret standards.  And now I've adopted another
blaze who is perfectly healthy (as Coco was) so I just want to know what to
expect.  I know we can't predict the future but it would be nice to know
other blaze ferret owners experiences - good or bad.
 
And a completely unrelated question... I searched the FML archives for
coccidia and giardia and I saw that some people recommended grapefruit seed
extract.  Does anyone have first hand knowledge of the effectiveness of
this herbal remedy?  I saw it was used as a natural preservative, as well.
Any info would be appreciated.
 
Thanks,
Heather
[Posted in FML issue 2838]