A couple opinions and a free offer.
 
Serious ear mite infestation can leave residue under the skin of the inside
of the ears.  It may be mite remains of some sort.  It seems to do no harm
once the mites are treated and gone.  No need to use over the counter
preparations or other oily mite treatments.  They rarely work and take
weeks to fail and meantime the animal suffers.  GO TO YOUR VET and ask for
IVERMECTIN either as a solution in the ears, or by injection.  Often only
one treatment is needed.  Why mess around with hopeless attempts?  This is
state of the art treatment--quick, inexpensive and humane.
 
Some talk about ferrets "screaming".  This is certainly unnerving and if
you're lucky, you never will hear it.  It generally is a result of
seizures--a tough situation with ferrets--due to the last stages of disease,
dehydration or hyperinsulin coma due to insulinoma.  The emergency treatment
consists of valium injected directly into the vein.  This usually relieves
the seizure but does not cure the cause.  If it is due to dehydration (a
real possibility these days), rehydration by IV catheter may relieve the
symptoms.  If it is due to insulinoma, administration of IV fluids with 5%
dextrose may temporarily relieve the coma.  In other disease cases, there
may be no long term solution.  Only your vet or emergency facility will be
of help in this case, but do not euthanize your ferret without determining
the cause, once the seizures have been controlled.  It may not be a fatal
situation!
 
Is your vet diving into adrenal surgery?  We have a diagram which guides the
surgeon's hand whether the tumor be right, left or both.  Send a stamped,
self addressed envelope for a free copy.  Ferret Rescue of the Western
States, 140 W.  29th St., Suite 191, Pueblo, CO.  We are a shelter, so if
you enclose a small donation, we won't be mad!  We do several adrenal
surgeries every month.
 
Carolyn at FRWS
[Posted in FML issue 2392]