Hi everyone:
 
Again, thank you so much all the wonderful advice about fluids, especially
from Dr. Williams.  What actually ended up happening with the gang is this:
Monday afternoon when Hank, Gatsby and Xena were at the vet (This vet I'm
talking about was **NOT** Dr. Weiss, unfortunately.  I live about an hour
and a half from his practice and I couldn't get up there to see him), the
vet told me that they were not terribly dehydrated but if I wanted to, she
could show me how to give fluids and get me set up to do it at home.  I was
very interested in her doing so, because I think it's an important skill to
have, and because I wanted to run the butterfly needle method by her.  This
conversation happened between 2-3pm.
 
At 6pm, I went to pick up the gang.  The vet had already gone home, but
had written up a sheet reiterating what she told me about fluids.  However,
there were no instructions left for the technicians to teach me nor were
the supplies added to my bill.  The technician there put a call into the
vet, who just managed to return the call before I left, saying that she had
changed her mind and that they didn't need the fluids.  Nice of her to call
or leave a note to that effect.  I have had so many problems with this
practice that I switched to Dr. Weiss (who I just think the world of, but
then again who doesn't).  But, I figured the only thing that this vet could
do would be to give them fluids and monitor them .  I was so worried about
them that I just wanted to get fluids in them ASAP.  It was a mistake on my
part to go back there.  I won't be repeating it.
 
Anyhow, the good part of this is that the ferrets do seem to be better.
Gatsby is eating on her own, and Hank and Xena are eating slightly wet
kibble.  Everyone is drinking on their own.  I spoke to Dr. Weiss a few
days ago and he agreed that the biopsies should be postponed until they've
been back to normal for 3-4 days.
 
So that's the whole story.  I apologize for not writing sooner-things have
been crazy over here.  I just want to thank everyone again...this list is
so wonderful when people need help taking care of their little ones.
 
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. :-)
 
Laura Martinez
[Posted in FML issue 3275]