http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/message/1048 Well there is some good and some not so good advice here. First, cardiomopathy is a common problem in our ferrets - I have lost two to this dread disease over the years. Your vet has identified one of the three drugs that are used in cardiomyopathy - benzapril (or similar preload reducing drugs.) However, there are two others that form the backbone of treatment for this disease - Lasix, a diuretic, and digitoxin, which is used in later stages to help strengthen the heart muscle's contraction. Did your vet take a chest X-ray? There is no way to say what percentage of a ferret's lungs are scar tissue; even with a biopsy of the lung, if it occurs, it is usually patchy. A more common cause of wheezing is fluid in the lung, which would show up on an X-ray, and could (hopefully) be removed or lessened by the lasix. Fluid is far more common in these cases than scar tissue. Regarding a low-sodium diet, I have never heard of this in ferrets - humans yes, ferrets no. Also regarding the restriction of exercise - the key is reducing stress - ferrets with failing hearts are not athletes - they regulate their own exercise. However adding stress will shorten the lifetime and worsen response to therapy. Removing him from his brother and sister is a stressful move that is probably contraindicated. He may want to play, but he will only do what he can and no more. Another key is making sure that he doesn't get too cold or hot, or too hungry - these types of environmental stresses are far worse than a little exercise. Remember that we cannot repair a heart - but by using the proper drugs at the appropriate times, we can slow the progress of the disease and lengthen the animal's survival time. With kindest regards, Bruce Williams, DVM brought to the FML by FHL co-moderator, Sukie (not a vet) Current FHL address: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth People can join there or can send a blank mail to the automated joining address: [log in to unmask] and then follow the directions. (The second is recommended for those having problems with Yahoogroups web settings, and afterward send a blank mail from your subscribed address to [log in to unmask] to get the digest instead of individual mails. ) Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml [Posted in FML 5502]