Just a note to let you know about Simon.  He's not doing well, and unless
things change for the better, it looks bleak for his long term survival.
 
Simon is a 5-6 year old MF sable I was lucky enough to adopt from TLE a few
years ago.  He was part of a four fert group (all MF) which included Gus,
Nosette and Balistic.  What a wonderful group of ferts!  Some time after
the group was adopted, my entire business was struck by a bacterial
infection I ultimately traced to a contaminated bulk feeder.  It hit a
half dozen ferrets very hard, especially Simon and Gus.  Gus seemed to be
recovering but passed on and a necropsy showed he had a malformed heart.
Simon very nearly died, but slowly recovered.  Both Simon and Bear have
since been on the thin side, and both becaome ill with a mystery illness
this last early spring.  Both recovered, but remained thin and with ratty
looking fur.  Still, they were quite active, playing and getting into
trouble with all the other ferts.
 
I first noticed Simon was not playing well; instead of his usual method of
play, he was just investigating and wandering away.  While a number of my
ferts do this, it was not typically Simon.  When I picked him up, I noticed
he seemed to chew his teeth; an indicator of pain.  Feeling his abdomen, I
noticed his spleen was greatly enlarged and his tummy seemed sore.  I
lsitened to his lungs, which sounded sort of "wet," and his breathing was
slightly labored.  His poopie was pudding-like; dark orange-brown, in small
quantities that left a bile-like stain.  He would occasionaly scratch or paw
at his mouth, and he would gag and attempt to vomit.  He was very quiet, and
seemed to just lay around.  When offered petromalt, he refused to take any,
which for Simon was very unusual.  He was slightly dehydrated, but because
his lungs sounded wet, I decided not to rehydrate him until after x-rays.
 
I suspected some sort of bowel obstruction, either from a tumor or something
he ate, but the xrays showed the intestines to be free and clear and no
masses anywhere.  Instead, the chest was full of fluid; so much that the
chest organs were displaced enough to block off the esophagus.  The heart
is very large, and is the obvious source of the trouble.  Simon immediately
went into the ferret equivent of an ICU, and was given meds to help him get
rid of the fluids in his chest.  Since then, he has perked up a bit, but
requires force feedings.  We have guestimated his chances of recovery to
about 20%.
 
I only mention this medical problem to point out that Simon required a vet
for proper diagnosis and treatment.  As much as I know, I am not a vet.
Also, Simon's inital problems, the ones I first noticed, where not
especially pronouced.  In other words, I took Simon to the vet at the
*FIRST* onset of symptoms, not when they became so pronouced that a problem
was serious.  That likely saved his life, and is the reason he has any
chance of survival at all right now.
 
I have been asked on numerous occasions to post something on emergency
treatment for ferrets, and I have always declined because I felt the various
vets could do a better job.  Without a doubt, they can.  And it is not just
the recognition of symptoms, or the ability to diagnose.  Its the technology
that enables a vet to make a proper diagnosis; most of which is not part of
the ferret owner's first aid kit.  Blood work, x-ray machines, baby warmers
and the like are critical in the detection and diagnosis of ailments.  The
only thing that has been in Simon's favor was a prompt vet visit and their
x-ray machine.
 
I have never hidden the fact that I am strongly "pro-vet."  I am, in fact,
their greatest fan and except for my deep love of scientific research, would
be one myself.  I urge you, if you suspect something nasty is going on with
your ferret, go to the vet first, then post on the FML so we can all learn.
Sure, maybe you risk losing a few bucks for the occasional unnecessary trip,
but because of the tiny size of our beloved fuzzbutts, when something is
wrong, time can be critical.  If your instincts say, "Something is wrong,"
they are probably right.  You know your ferret better than anyone.  Act on
those instincts and you will probably do well.
 
Bob C and 19 MO Ferts hoping for the best (and Simon in the ferret ICU)
[Posted in FML issue 2374]