>I have taken my new ward to the vet yesterday afternoon for bloodwork.
>She is displaying what seems to me to be the classic hairloss I've heard,
>read about and seen pictures of.  Her back and belly were bald when I
>got her....
 
Hi, Veronica
 
The hair loss you describe could certainly be caused by flea infestation,
though do continue to consult with your vet on this (who, incidentally,
should have checked for swollen vulva right away with hair loss, and if
they couldn't tell or didn't look, you need a new, ferret-knowledgable
vet).
 
However, DON'T USE HARTZ FLEA DROPS.  The chemical they use to kill fleas
is highly toxic to small animals and could cause drooling, hair loss,
seizures, death, among other things (not that there's anything worse than
death as an ultimate symptom, unless you consider suffering along the
way).  _Most_ over the counter flea remedies are pretty unsafe, including
drops, powders, dips, sprays, shampoos.  You are better off having your
vet prescribe some ferret-appropriate doses of Advantage or another
approved product.
 
In the clinic where I work I have personally seen at least three cats in
the last year get really sick from the Hartz Flea Drops, and ferrets are
smaller and even more sensitive, so I would urge you not to use that
product again (see my recent post about pyrethrins and flea products in
the FML archives).
 
Good luck with your baby-I hope fleas were all it was, though flea
infestations can be pretty bad and cause terrible illnesses, too
(anemia, tapeworm, etc) and kill an animal if not addressed.
 
Dooks,
April A.C.
[Posted in FML issue 3938]