Rachel, I have Lyme disease. I don't live in the traditional "endemic" areas but in the midwest. Contrary to popular belief, birds, not deer, are the major carriers of the tick responsible for spreading this disease. It took over 8 years for my tortuously painful and debilitating illness to be diagnosed because many doctors don't believe it is a real illness. If most vets are like most doctors, it could be difficult to persuade one to perform the Lyme titer, but it is definitely worth it if you can have the test performed! Many animals can get the disease although I have not come across a specific reference to ferrets. From "Coping with Lyme Disease," by Denise Lang: "Dr. Dorothy Feir, entomologist and professor of biology at Saint Louis University, points to Lyme disease as the cause of blindness in kangaroos at the Saint Louis Zoo......In Wisconsin, California, Connecticut, and Missouri, researchers and veterinarians are studying the transmission of Lyme disease among dairy and beef cattle.......Dr. Barry Lissman was the first individual to discover and report clinical findings on Lyme disease in dogs........." Not all animals will show a telltale bulls-eye mark (actually, only about a third of infected humans show this mark), so the signs to watch your pets for include: arthritis (lameness), lethargy, sudden onset of severe pain, fever, loss of appetite, depression, other temperament and personality changes. I know, the list seem pretty vague. But there is a reason Lyme disease is called "the great imitator." The symptoms can match up with a lot of other illnesses, but a good vet (or doctor for all of you bi-peds!) can draw a little blood, send it off to the lab, and get a definitive answer for you. Good luck! Debi [Posted in FML issue 4096]