Dear Ferret Folks- Thank you for your many kind words regarding France. She was a fine Hog, a very fine Hog. To answer the big question I keep getting, she contracted a poorly understood condition called "Wobbly Hog Syndrome." It results in a creeping paralysis, and is ultimately fatal. Some Hogs spend months with it, slowing down, but with a decent quality of life, as was France's experience. Some Hogs are stricken and survive only weeks. There are questions about WHS. Is it a nutritional problem? A genetic one? Have Hogs always been prey to this, but it is showing up now due to greatly increased lifespans as companions as opposed to the much shorter ones they would know in the wild? Nobody knows, yet, and as Hogs are not a terribly common companion animal, there is not a terrific amount of pressure to find the answers. For all of our frustration as members of the Ferret Community regarding conditions such as Adrenal Disease, and the host of others that plauge our small friends, know that there *are* people looking for those answers, although the progress is slow, and any funding and support *you* can provide will make those answers come faster. The Hog Community is much smaller, and our answers are not coming any time, soon. Every now and then Sukie or the IFC or the AFA mentions some way that you can help with studies. Please think about that, the next time you see one of those opportunities. That research doesn't come cheap. Without our support, most of it won't come at all. Just being mad doesn't get the research done. Here is one to think about right now, from the AFA. (American Ferret Association) It involves trying to determine the safe parameters for distemper vaccinations. They need money, and they need veterenary records from our ferrets. http://www.ferret.org/news/07-april-titer_study.shtm Either, or both from you would be very welcome. It might even save small lives. I've sent out a bunch of copies of the completed story. If you are still waiting for yours and I have overlooked it, please drop another note into my inbox. I have to thank BIG for all of his silent, crypto-editing. I have noticed over the years that the dialouge scenes, especially, in my prose almost always wind up better formatted than the way I send them out to the FML. Either BIG is doing it, or Bill Gates is a *big* fan, albeit a secret one. (Bill Gates, if you are reading this, please re-format your 'Word' writing program so that I can over-ride your damn auto-grammar function! I *know* what I'm doing and I'm *tired* of the little wiggly green lines!) Alexandra in MA [Posted in FML 5731]