Greetings group: I have been noticing lately (somewhere else) that a number of otherwise healthy ferrets are dying from anesthesia alone. One ferret goes in for what should have been a routine operation, which was uneventful and successful, but fails to wake up afterwards and dies. Another ferret goes in to have it's teeth cleaned, but dies from the anesthesia. In both cases, they were leading happy and normal lives, only to be "put to death" for simple things! This burdens me greatly, and it is becoming clear that veterinary medicine, when it comes to anesthesia, is just way too primitive. Ferrets should NOT be dying for the sake of having their teeth cleaned, for crying out loud! So, I must ask, WHAT is being done to advance the science of anesthesia and recovery from it? Is there *anything* at all being done to advance that science? Any new research being done on the subject (which would also benefit and save countless other animals who also die each year from anesthesia)? There has GOT to be a better way! Something is clearly being done wrong. I'm sure that there are other options available, which they aren't even exploring yet. What about acupuncture? That has proven to work in human patients (I've seen them do major surgery while the patient is awake and alert, with NO pain). I have seen dentists put a clip on the left ear lobe, and drill away, while the clip *somehow* blocks pain. There are other alternatives that I'm sure no one dares consider, too, like "medical marijuana" (or derivatives from it). Having been a pot smoker, I can attest that some of it will indeed knock someone out for hours (I call it "sleeper"). Has anyone dared look into that, or something like it? I'm sure that they could come up with a (slightly more powerful) derivative from certain kinds of marijuana that could be used to safely put a ferret (or other animal) out. And, I'm sure there are other alternatives that I'm not even aware of, that need further study. What, if anything, is being done to further the science of anesthesia? Anything at all? Or, are they satisfied with the death rate, as they sit on their hands and say, "Oh well - it's dead. *Sorry* Now, pay us!"? It's clear that there is much more to be done in this area. Ferrets should not be dying just to have their teeth cleaned! If nothing else, isn't there a way to physically restrain them and hold their mouths open, while they are awake (or preferably drowsy and mellow) so such procedures can be performed without killing a perfectly healthy ferret? A form fitting "chair", with some wires to hold the mouth open? For example, it IS possible to firmly scruff a ferret, right? It IS possible to also hold open the lower jaw, right? Likewise, it IS possible to restrain the rest of the body, right? So, although it might not be the most pleasant experience for them, it certainly wouldn't kill them, right?!? There has GOT to be a better way. I may be wrong, but I feel the veterinary medical field is negligent and remiss for not advancing and pioneering such new things. There are many things that are not being tried or even considered. Are they so set in their ways that they *thing* that what they have today is the "state of the art", and can not be advanced further? If so, THAT is the primary problem; they need to be motivated to think outside the box. Can anyone shed some light on this? I am convinced that so many ferrets (and other animals) do NOT need to die so often. From reading of all these needles deaths, *I* am determined that it will be a cold day in hell before I ever have mine put under anesthesia! They would have to be in immanent danger first (where they will die anyway without it), and then, only after a thorough research of all methods available and a strong examination of the vet's experience and knowledge of the situation. Otherwise, I don't trust them. Granted, there are some excellent vets out there, but they clearly don't know as much as they want people to believe. On a related note: One lady takes her ferret in for a routine immunization; there was a strong reaction within one minute of getting the shot. Meanwhile, the vet is frantically flipping through a book, wasting valuable seconds, trying to find the right amount of another med to counteract the first shot. This otherwise good vet, was UNPREPARED. That vet (ALL vets) should have, as standard operating procedure, looked up ALL applicable emergency information before the shot was administered in the first place. The ferret almost died, and took over a week to recover from that one immunization. It was the closest she has ever brought a ferret back from the brink of death! She had never seen one that close to death be brought back. There has GOT to be a better way. Veterinary medicine and practices are not advancing fast enough. How many healthy ferrets will die TODAY because of this??? Thanks, Gary, Bart and Victoria [Moderator's note: Interesting coincidence! Many of these very topics were discussed today at the symposium. An executive summary: Isoflurane anesthesia is incredibly safe in ferrets; dental procedures are probably overdone in ferrets; it IS possible to draw blood without sedation. BIG] [Posted in FML issue 4290]