OK, everyone . . . I'm a bit stumped again and could use some 'unbiased' opinions. My Phoebe was recently seen by a "knowledgeable" ferret vet - one whom we've gone to in the past and he's done very well for us. At our visit last week, I voiced my concerns about Phoebe's lack of appetite, teeth grinding, and tiny amounts of "pudding poops" (as I call them), despite the carafate/Pepcid AC/Pepto Bismul combo she's been on (as well as Prednisolone). Doc was very thorough - did a BG (it was 70, same as 1 month ago) and exam and came to the consensus that she's most likely got an ulcer and helicobactor problem that's causing grinding and lack of appetite (and noticed from her chart that this is on-going). Well, vet reassured me that once we attack the main problem - the ulcer(s) - the lack of appetite problem will diminish and teeth grinding will stop as it did when this same thing happened back in Dec. and the diagnosis: Vet felt that carafate wasn't working with Phoebe so recommended that I stop the carafate and Pepto and do a Pepcid AC/Amoxi combo instead. Well from everything I've now heard and read, the BEST treatment is Biaxin/Amoxi for the uclers & helicobactor but I asked about Biaxin while I was there and doc was felt confident that what was recommended would work just fine. HERE'S MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CARAFATE / BIAXIN / AMOXI COMBO - #1 - If instructions on carafate bottle say "do not give within 1 hr. of other medications" how can the amoxicillan be part of the "mixture" for treatment? It's just not possible for me to to give the carafate, wait 10 min. then hand feed Phoebe, and THEN wait and hour to give Amoxi and.or Biaxin. Maybe I can at night but not in the morning, before I go to work. How does everyone else out there do it? Do you NOT do the carafate and just administer the Biaxin/Amoxi? However, neither of those provides the 'coating' that carafate does, correct? #2 - If Amoxil and Biaxin are both antibiotics of the same penicillan family, why then would you need both for treatment? Do they not work without each other or are they just more effective TOGETHER? I'm thinking that maybe the vet didn't prescribe the Biaxin for this reason? So I guess it would help for me to have better clarification before I go back to the vet and explain why I'm AGAIN asking for Biaxin. Now this will totally look like I'm questioning the decision even though I already questioned it during the visit and was reassured. But, of course, my furkids' health is more important that what the doc is going to think. I'm concerned, however, that my questioning will come off as though I'm not going to feel confident about the vet's decisions until I hear what I WANT to hear and that can't be right. I'm curious to know how others have handled this type of situation without coming off as a 'know-it-all' to your furkids' doctor(s)??? Of course medical professionals are by no means perfect but chances are they DO know more than I when it comes to medical treatment. THANKS in advance! Jennifer and the 3 Amigos [Posted in FML issue 4788]