Re: Bordatella
Bordatella has been cultured from tracheal washes of ferrets and cats in
Australia.  So it certainly occurs here.
 
Re: Denistry
The person who suggested that giving a ferret an anaesthetic for a teeth
clean was only for those who are unskilled or lazy should have a loooong
talk with their vet!!  Obviously whether your ferret needs to be
anaesthetised depends very much on individual cases and that is why you rely
on your vets advice.  It sounds like the veterinarian's advice in this case
was sound and the anaesthetic regime routine.  I would not hesitate to
anaesthetise my own ferrets if I thought it was the most suitable choice.
Talk about your concerns with your vet.
 
Re: Sugar Gliders
As a Australian my patriotism got the better of me to contribute my small
amount of knowledge about gliders.  The sugar glider is an Australian
native, a marsupial, whilst it might look a bit like a squirrel it is not
related .  There are several other gliders.  They all belong to the same
superfamily as possums.  They are most common in the Eastern states
including Tasmania.  I must say I find it most remarkable that these are a
popular pet in the U.S - are they kept as a captive but wild animal or are
they companions like ferrets???  My husband has kept ring tail possums in
the past but only as part of rehab. and really are pretty distant relatives -
no comparisons intended.  We actually spend the better part of our lives
devising was to keep their cousins - Brushtail possums from invading our
roof and throwing clods of earth onto our cars.
[Posted in FML issue 1657]