To MAnon:
 
>A hematologist, Madison Cawein, eventually figured out that it was
>methemoglobinemia, a rare hereditary blood disorder that results in excess
>levels of methemoglobin in the blood.  Methemoglobin (which is blue) is a
>non-funtional form of the normal hemoglobin which carries oxygen (and is
>red).  In most people, normal hemoglobin is converted to methemoglobin at a
>very slow rate, and the enzyme diaphorase converts it back.  The blue
>people, however, were lacking the converting enzyme.
 
        A very interesting theory which I had not considered.  The animals
that I have seen with methemoglobinemia (no ferrets) had a brownish color to
their blood, rather than blue, but I like the theory....thanks for weighing
in on this one.
 
 
 
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP
[Posted in FML issue 1409]