Dear FMLers,
Our ferret, Bentley, is going to the vet on Friday to have his teeth worked
on.  We are worried sick!!  I have been reading on here for the last year
about all kinds of diseases and surgeries, but I know nothing about this!
He is a MF silver male.  Age is unknown as he is a rescue but has been
guesstimated at about 4.  He seems healthy and weighs about 2.7 lbs.  But I
know any surgery is dangerous.  His teeth do look really bad.  His gums are
red, teeth are grungy, has bad breath, and the tip of one of his fangs (for
lack of the right name) is broken from before we got him.
 
The vet wants to put him under gas anestethic and "work on his teeth".  I
don't know what that means exactly.
 
Has anyone had any experience with this?  Ever heard of doing this?
Anything my vet should be aware of or that I should ask him about?  He is
very good with our ferrets and saved one from a bad distemper reaction.  But
he admits it is not the animal he knows the most about.  How long should
Bentley go without food and water before the surgery?  Any information would
be really helpful!  Thank you all in advance!  You can email me directly at
[log in to unmask] or post here as I will be checking!  The surgery is scheduled
for Friday AM.
 
Thanks again,
Kimberly
Bentley--"Excuse me?  I'm doing what on Friday? I think not!"
Gizmo--"Nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-naaaah!"
Abu--"Just cuz he has cavities I don't see why I have to brush!"
April--"I told you...up & down & circles for 2 minutes twice a day!Next
        time maybe you'll listen!"
[Posted in FML issue 1808]