Thank you to the large number of people who sent emails, condolences, cards and advice on the deaths of my last 2 ferrets, Mr Snickers and Puffin. And heartfelt tears go out to those of you who have also lost your babies. It had looked like (and still may be) that the ferrets, (BJ,Cody, Mr Snickers and Puffin) and the cat (Bingo), were victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. As you may remember, my aide and myself were also sick until after the windows were opened. I did as most of you suggested....got a carbon monoxide detector..it has not gone off. I thought the nightmare was over. But as I sit here typing this, I have BJ's sister Punkin in my lap. She is also dying and will not rest easy unless I hold her in my lap or lie next to her. She was in to the vet's last week for hind leg stiffness and because i suspected she had gone blind. (When did your world go dark Punky and Mommy didn't notice?)He said she had severe arthritis in her hips and knees and yes, she was blind...seeing only marginally out of the one eye. She also has gingivitis. He was concerned that she was losing weight..weighed only 13 oz. She can't eat A/D for some reason..it gives her diaherria. Said to try to bulk her up..and it's only the hindquareters that looked like she had lost weight..from the waist up, she looks normal. For a few days, she did better...I did the leg excercises he showed me and her legs didn't seem as stiff, I gave her her antiobiotic for her gingivitis. Then pow, the legs got worse and worse..no longer stiff legged, but splaying all over the place and curling her toes under when even attempting to stand. I have still tried to force feed her but she is resisting it or drooling it back out. The last couple days I've noticed the same seemingly neurological symptoms I saw with the others...the head weaving and bobbing, seemingly unable to hold it still, the inability to stand and then falling on the side and pedaling the feet (no, not a seizure..I'm not describing this too well)More pedalling to try to stand and can't. The poops are darkening again..I also noticed a personality shift with all of them also. Punkin was always very independent..the matriarch (almost 8). Now she seems very "needy". She will NOT sleep or rest the last couple days unless I hold her. I even put her in the carrier last night and had it next to the bed where i could keep my hand in there. She was still restless..she wanted to be physically beside me. She won"t open her eyes but she is aware I'm here. From what I've read, the effects of CO poisoning can be permanent. Since she is displaying the same identical "end stage" symptoms as the others, I think it's that. Arthritis, gingivitis and blindness certainly don't kill you! Or..am i missing something here? The vet said he could feel no tumors of any kind on exam. She has displayed no signs of adrenal, insulinoma, etc. A couple people wondered about ADV. But she has been in contact with no new ferrets. My youngest is 5. Could she carry the disease for THAT long? (she did bring giardia into the household when i got her..we all got it, even the cat.) I read up on what little I could find on ADV and some of the symptoms fit....but not all. I am going to ask the vet if he will do a necropsy...I need to know... especially when he has said on the last 3 that he didn't know what happened. Don't know if he'll do it or not as I owe him a bundle for Mr Snickers and Puffin. Punkin will be going in Monday to see him...if she makes it till then. The other question I have, a friend brought it up..is could they have picked up something from the cat litter? I had bought this brand for a long time (a supermarket brand) and had no problems. With this last batch, it kept getting stuck in the girls' privates and on Mr Snickers rear end. I stopped using it and just put newspaper in there and they used that. My friend wondered if maybe there could have been some kind of microbe or something in the litter? I did mention this to the vet on Punkin's visit last week and he thought unlikely. I am moving July 12..I seriously wonder if I'll have my other 2 left to move with. I feel like I'm having a really, really bad dream and i'm more than ready to wake up now. Please say a prayer for them---Punkin, Sweetpea and Hopkin. [Posted in FML issue 3830]