I have run into an interesting thing on BIGs archieves I would like to
share with you.  I rescued two ferret's and have four of my own.
 
1. People say you don't have to quarantine new arrivals from your own!!
 
2. Waited five days before I introduced mine to the new guys and guess
what!  The new one's have ear mites which now have infected mine even tho
I waited five days...(note took ours to the vet).  Went to the archieves
for information on ear mites and am completely baffled.  Some vets use
the same prescription for this condition but, no one and I mean no one
can agree on the treatment.
 
(A) once only, (B) once a week, (C) twice a week for five weeks, etc...
 
My vet advised the mites lay eggs in the ear drum and wax will cover the
eggs.  When you clean the ears and remove some or all the wax, the medicine
can do it's job better.
 
Also, note of the two rescues, one had no ill effects while the second
showed signs of walking, but leaning to one side.  Of my own four-cleaned
ear passages and placed drops as directed, three ferret's had no reaction
to the medication.  Our fourth girl seemed to be slow, unable to climb or
even walk normally (crawled on her stomach).  Slept many hours and didn't
play..  In the morning noticed that she had started to get dehydrated
(checked with vet, if condition continued we would have to take her in).
Made duck soup and fed to her every two hours for four hours and the
improvement was there.  She came out of her cage and even took to regular
ferret food... Please remember not all ferret's will have the same reaction
to medicine, just as two humans will not have the same reaction to their
medicine even tho they have the same medical condition.
 
Debbie
[Posted in FML issue 2929]