Hello everyone!
 
It's been about 4 years since I read my last FML.  I'm married now, but my
first name is still Dodie.  How many of those could there possibly be?
<VBG>
 
I just wanted to say hello to my old friends Sukie Crandall, Gabby,
Trucker, TLE, Lynn McIntosh and others!  Let me know where to find you
guys... I hope all is well with everyone!
 
Any other FMLers from the South Jersey area?
 
I have six ferrets....my original band of five plus one beautiful little
boy I got from Michelle Tonkinson of Philly Ferrets, almost 4 years ago.
Gosh..how time flies!
 
Gidget, my first and oldest ferret is now 7.5 years old with both adrenal
disease and insulinoma.  She gets 1/4 pred twice daily and will eat baby
chicken food off of my finger to supplement her regular food.  This is my
first experience with these dreaded illnesses and with all of my ferrets
now in the 4-5 years of age range... I'm sure there will be more to come. :(
 
BJ, my youngest has proliferative bowel disease and two weeks each of
Tylan, Chloramphenicol, and Flagyl have done nothing to alleviate the
runny, smelly stools.  I even tried Essiac(slippery elm,etc) for two months
to no avail.  I've been through the FML archives and the only treatment
regimens I could fine were what I've already mentioned.  Does anyone know
of any other homeopathic remedies that I could try.  I seem to recall
colloidal silver being used during the ECE outbreaks.  I would love some
advice.
 
Some of you may remember my incontinent little sprite Angel.  She was
diagnosed with an ectopic ureter and had one kidney removed...only find out
that both ureters were ectopic and so she remains incontinent to this day.
Never did come up with a diaper design!  Thought you might like to know
that she's been doing just great.  I've had absolutely no problems with
my one-kidney wonder.  She's almost 5 years old now.  Her fur seems to
be thinning a little on the back of her neck though...so I suspect early
adrenal disease.  How soon do you think I need to confirm with an Adrenal
Panel?
 
Unfortunately, I had my first experience with a Fer-Vac reaction at our
last set of immunizations.  I always pre-dose with pediatric liquid
Benadryl and wait at least 30 minutes after the last ferret's been
injected.  Poor Fozzie....it was classic...nose, feet and ears turned
bright red within 15 minutes of the shot.  He vomited blood, had bloody
diarrhea, abdomen was sucked in because of the pain.  It was horrible.  My
vet, Anna Edling, said that she really doesn't feel that ferrets need to
be vaccinated yearly and that the overload could be part of the problem.
Since all of my ferrets are now seniors and I no longer show them...I've
decided to discontinue the vaccinations.  I feel that the immunity they
already have should protect them for the next 2 years at least and by then
they'll all be about 7 years old.  No flames...please...I am very familiar
with canine distemper.  Interestingly enough, Fozzie now associates
Nutrical(shot distraction treat)with that whole experience and it has
literally left a bad taste in his mouth!  Now the mere smell of it makes
him gag!
 
Now that I'm back...I recently discovered all the ferret goodies that e-bay
has to offer...my husband is not very happy with me!  <GGG>
 
Well....it's good to be back!  I'm looking forward to hearing from my old
(and some new) friends soon!
 
Happy ferreting everybody!
 
Dodie (aka Toothfairy) and The Sensational Six in South Jersey
[Posted in FML issue 3326]