Dear Patrick, I am so sorry to hear that your little boy isn't feeling well. You obviously love him dearly, and you've clearly searched far and wide for ways to help him through his illness. I know how difficult it is to find a ferret-knowledgeable veterinarian, especially when you live in a less populated area. Your best best is to get in touch with a shelter, club, or other contact in your region to see if they can recommend anyone. Perhaps LOS Nebraska can be of help. Their contact is Shelly Knudsen, and you can reach her at (402) 463-0190 or [log in to unmask] (per the AFA's shelter listing at http://www.ferret.org/shelters.htm). I also know that Pitts Veterinary Hospital at 2225 Hwy 2, Lincoln NE (402-423-4120) was an AFA member in the past, so they may have a greater interest in ferrets and their treatment than most. You may also consider having your veterinarian consult with other veterinary professionals. Both Dr. Weiss (http://www.ferretdoctor.com) and Dr. Williams (http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html) offer fantastic consultation services. As for what may be wrong, it is difficult to say without a veterinarian's diagnostic knowledge and tests. As Mary McCarty suggested, this sort of coughing is often indicative of heart trouble (e.g. cardiomyopathy) or possibly a respiratory infection. To learn more about cardiomyopathy, please visit http://www.miamiferret.org/FHC/cardiomyopathy.htm and http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/cardio.html The swollen glands could be indicative of another disease called lymphoma, but again without a hands-on examination from a good veterinarian, it's impossible to know. For more information about this disease, please see http://www.afip.org/ferrets/lsa.html (this site has some unpleasant medical photos at the top of the page, so you may wish to scroll down quickly if you don't wish to see them). More information is also available at http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/lymph.html. I hope that this information helps to shed some light on what might be wrong with your little guy, and more importantly I hope that it helps you and your veterinarian to find just the right treatment. Best wishes to you, Regina Hart President & Webmaster, American Ferret Association http://www.ferret.org [Posted in FML issue 3329]