Dear X: You should have no guilt on this one. If the diagnosis was truly immune-mediate anemia, it is one of the least understood diseases affecting ferrets today, and one that carries the poorest prognosis. Immune-medicated hemolytic anemias in ferrets arise for unknown reasons, and commonly appear so quickly, that significant loss of blood cell mass occurs before any signs are noticed. A ferret can actually digest its red blood cells to a life-threatening level within 72 hours. The treatment for this condition is heavy immunesuppression with corticosteroids and even stronger medications, and it is rarely rewarding. The use of oxyglobin in this case shows the levels that you went to save her. However, synthetic hemoglobins are best employed when an insult has passed and the body just needs support until its marrow regenerative capacity kicks in. When used in the face of a hemolytic crisis, it simply affords the animal a little more time. Very few cases of hemolytic anemia in ferrets ever show a regenerative response. I am sorry for your loss - but you should rest easier in knowing that the vast majority of AIHA cases in ferret don't respond to anything (or at least we're still trying to find something that works well on them.... With kindest regards, Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP Join the Ferret Health List at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list [Posted in FML issue 3452]