Dear Ferret Folks-

Thank you for the many messages I received about Alex's breathing and
whole hobs. I vacced out the sofa and washed all of the bedding. I made
the bed with the clean stuff and Alex spent last night in it quite
comfortably, no problems. I took the sheets from the bed and wrapped
them in a plastic bag then taped it shut so that ferrets can't
"contaminate" it before the next sleep over.

I will never know if Caff-Pow really set off that asthma attack/swollen
eyes episode. Alex was having a very bad breathing day before he was
tucked into bed the other night. He had to use his rescue inhaler a
few times and was home from school. Truth be told, I think he would
have benefited from being nebulized but I don't keep that equipment
here at my house. (A nebulizer makes a 'fog' of medicated vapor that
you breath through a mask or a tube.) Alex has been tested for a number
of allergens and we've identified a few of the really bad ones, but I
doubt they tested him for hob! The poor kid is allergic to latex,and
that makes childhood harder than it should have to be. (Think no helium
baloons, for starters.)

Just to be on the safe side I am going to start the research into
getting Caff-Pow neutered. I'm starting to wonder if he has anything to
do with the fact that I have had slightly itchy/sticky eyes for the
last few weeks...right when the nads appeared. Perhaps not. Because of
all the rain we have had *insane amounts* of mold and mildew here in
New England. My mother, who frankly loathes ferrets, has volunteered to
help me with it financially. Actaully, she said "I'll neuter him if you
hold him." Ah, no. She IS a doctor, after all. She is also a wise-ass.
He is four months old now and has visibly descended nads. He is already
twice the size of Todd, and he can beat the snot out of the eight pound
cat who flees from his attention. I'm thinking of a neuter date of
five, not six months as I had already planned. That still beats the
heck out of neutering him on, say, a pet store schedule.

And BY THE WAY...Caff-Pow still has four sisters available. His brother
is spoken for. This is the litter of kits that Danee Devore raised, the
kits from Val. Remember the video that Danee put up of their birth? I
have met them and they are absolutely *beautiful*. So is Val, and her
mate O'Roarke. I can vouch for Caff-Pow as being physically very robust
and attractive with a good sense of fun. He has noticably calmed down
from the worst of his kit "I will put everything in my mouth,
especially your toes" days. He is fearless and curious and was born to
play. And he has never poofed, although he is quite capable of it.
These are lovely hand raised ferrets from a repuatble breeder on the
east coast. And they need hoomins, and forever homes. I am so grateful
that I have Caff-Pow in mine. *Everybody* likes Caff-Pow. Except my
Mom!

Alexandra in MA

[Posted in FML 6378]