It is unfortunate that events occur which lead pet owners to be less-than-trusting of veterinarians. However, these events DO occur, primarily (IMHO and IME) because veterinarians often will not admit when they don't know what to do, and hesitate to make referrals when warranted. IME, they also tend to overstate their experience with ferrets. Zet owners put the lives of their loved ones in the hands of veterinarians, and feel deeply responsible for their welfare. Learning after the fact that your vet didn't know what to do and that your pet is dead because of it results in an understandable feeling of betrayal and tremendous guilt. I am fortunate to currently have a veterinarian that is extremely experienced in ferret care, but have known (been a patient of)many that, as it turned out, were out of their element when dealing with complicated medical conditions. And I didn't find that out until a bad result occurred. I would have been much more understanding if I'd been made aware that the vet didn't know what to do and was just doing his best. I would have felt more a part of the process, and not felt so badly afterwards. Certainly, we all try to find the best vets we can in our communities, but sometimes there isn't a good, experienced vet nearby. Especially in those situations, we all need to be vigilant in determining why each treatment is recommended and past experiences with that course of treatment. Ultimately, we as ferret owners have the responsibility for the well-being of our pets, and must be as educated as possible! Hooray for the FML! Melissa [Posted in FML issue 3679]