Ashling says, "We're not Republicans!  We are Independents!".
(Self-evident, isn't it?) She adds that skunks got kicked out because they
smell too much, "Too much marking competition; not going to settel for
that, unh unh!" Oh, and she wants one of you to come over RIGHT NOW (So
there!) and play with her because I started something which feels like the
flu yesterday, but she wants to be waited upon as is the natural order.,
Obviously, I can't handle them right now since they can catch influenza.
Poor Steve wil have his hands full tonight <G>.
 
If Bill will forgive me for using a short cutby quoting a post of mine from
the past below is dental eruption info.  The worst nawing (when it occurs)
happens when the slicing teeth come in
 
>Sometimes a tooth will get stuck in the gums, or might erupt wrong, or a
>baby tooth might become entrapped and cause a LOT of teething pain -- and
>hence a lot of chewing on things like fingers -- and even abcesses if left
>untreated.)  Cheweasels in moderation help with teething chew needs.  Call
>up the old FML Ad Issues and you'll find them there, or look in
>publications like Modern Ferret.
>
>Okay, let's be wild and let 6 weeks equal 42 days, 7 weeks equal 49 days, 8
>weeks equal 56 days, 9 weeks equal 63 days, 10 weeks equal 70 days, and 11
>weeks equal 77 days.  You get the picture.  Now, compare that with the
>below table of typical eruption times for ferret teeth:
>
>Upper:
>50 days (just over 7 weeks): Canine -- the conical shaped tooth
>53 days (7 and 1/2 weeks):  Molar 1 -- the tooth at the back which has a
>bit of flatness to it
>60 days (8 and 1/2 weeks):  Premolars 2-4 -- the teeth at the sides
>of the mouth
>Lower:
>50 days (just over 7 weeks):  Canine and Molar 1
>60 days (8 and 1/2 weeks):  Premolar 2
>67 days (9 and 1/2 weeks):  Premolar 3
>74 days (10 and 1/2 weeks):  Premolar 4 and Molar 2
>
>So, the adult teeth typically come in at JUST OVER 7 (SEVEN) WEEKS of age
>(or one month and three weeks) through to ALMOST 11 (ELEVEN) WEEKS of age
>(or two months and three weeks).  This is well documented and in veterinary
>texts (which is what my source is).
 
What slices?  Okay, you know it's not the incisors which groom, and you it
can't be the canine.  (Try slicing with an icepick some time.) so look in
the sides of the mouth by lifting the gums.  Do you see any other teeth
which have specialized to slice?  Yep.
 
What have we learned?  Could it be that we have noticed that size and
weight do NOT determine a ferret's age?  Face it, all that is needed is a
an undernurished, or genetically small, or less competitive ferret and food
deprivation at a critical point (such as at the distributors') can slow
growth.
 
Okay, I am a touch flaky right now, but this is something folks need to
learn before ferret people get a lot of calls to check on "young" ferrets
which aren't.  People still want calls on ones which may be, and
documentation of ones which ARE too young (pet store or distributor
documentation, or dental eruption watched by someone who knows teeth, such
as your vet while the shots are being given) is directed by multiple
sources to people who can clamp down on those who do this WHEN they
actually do it..
 
Oh, and not everything reported as a vaccine reaction yesterday is a
reaction.  Some things are responses.  YOu see, the vaccine works by making
the body think it is ill thereby getting the immune sytem to kick in, learn
that the stuff "seen" is an enemy and "remember" it or things like it in
the future for going into atack mode before it populates.  This means that
some aspects of beign sick afeter vaccinations are NORMAL vaccine responses
and simply indicate that the shots are doing their job and doing it well.
Oh, and sometimes when a true reaction occurs the skin may pale rather than
go red.  You can't miss it when your ferret (or anyone you know) has an
anphalexic reaction, and it really does pay to use Benedryl beforehand, and
it's essential to wait at the vet around a half hour and watch afterward.
BTW, if a ferret has a true reaction but has not had that same vacine in
the past then the new one witll have a component in common with something
received before (such as something in the medium) because the body has to
know something to have the chance to mislabel it an invadder.  (Notice that
when people develop anaphelic reactions to foods it typically to COMMON
foods in the diet).
 
Okay, off my high-horse, and hope I don't sprian my ankle on the long trip
down...
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2462]