Hi, everybody!! It's amazing how time flies. For weeks now I've saved my printed copies of FML and only managed to read them after I have a huge stack. Busy, busy, busy. But now that I'm caught up (except that my issue 451 got cut off somehow -- could you send me another one, Chris?) I have some stuff I want to answer to. I don't *think* I've missed anyone having already said this stuff, but if I have -- sorry. Katherine Fritz -- about your ferret (Molly?) with the enlarged vulva. As I was reading your message concerning this, a little memory twigged in my head; something I had heard at a ferret lecture at the last student AVMA symposium, about `often a symptom is enlarged vulva in spayed females'. I was pretty sure what disease that symptom went with, but I double checked just in case -- sure enough, hyperadrenalcorticism, or Cushing's syndrome. Not that it's necessarily that, but PLEASE make sure your vet is aware of that possibility. Vicki McConnell -- if you haven't already gotten lab normals from the Fox book or somewhere else, let me know. I have some values from that same SAVMA lecture I just mentioned. Jenny Au -- are you a vet student? I thought maybe you were because of your posting about the open house at Miss. State. I'm a first year at U. of Illinois. Seth Morabito -- about introducing your new ferret to your dog. As far as the trauma goes, I'd tend to be more worried about the dog than the ferret. Ferrets tend to be far too curious to think to be scared, at least when it comes to other animals. When I introduced my 8 wk. old 1lb. ferret to my roommates 65lb. shepherd/boxer mix, Trella (the ferret) was ready to take Bailey (the dog) on in a heartbeat. They were friends from the word go. They play all the time, and when Bailey closes her jaws just a little too tight around Trella, Trella just grabs on to Bailey's lip, and Bailey gets the message pretty quick (it's pretty hysterical to see this big ol' dog yelping because of this tiny little carpet shark). So I wouldn't worry -- just introduce them gradually for the dog's sake, since she tends to be jealous, but I'm sure it will be fine. Now, about my own little one. We almost had a tragedy. The day I came home from spring break (a Sunday), when I called the pre-vet student I had entrusted with her care, she had been missing for 4 hours. She had lost her collar/bell somehow and Toni hadn't replaced it, so there was no way to tell by listening -- it was a matter of waiting for her to come out, since turning the place upside down had yielded nothing. Meanwhile, the days pass. Although I had heard all sorts of missing ferret recovery stories, by Wednesday I had pretty much given up. The pet store was about to get in some new Marshall Farms babies (I know, I know, but Trella turned out great, and I have friends who've also had consistent good luck with them) and I was ready to go ahead and splurge. Not that anyone was going to replace Trella, but I was planning on getting another one in August anyway, so I figured why not a few months earlier, in case Trella never shows up. But on Wednesday night as I sat celebrating St. Patrick's Day at the campus Irish pub, Toni rushed in and said they had found her. In a wall. For three days. Not that's it's difficult to lose a ferret, but Toni probably won't be sitting for me again. Trella was fine, only slightly thinner and VERY thirsty. Amazingly not dehydrated enough to notice by her skin, though. Whew. Now what about this green diarrhea virus thing? What's the real story? I'm going to be working for Dr. Kawasaki in Woodbridge this summer, and if this thing's bad around there, I'm not sure I want to subject Trella to the risk. I know, I guess I should as Dr. Kawasaki himself, but trying to reach the man by telephone is no easy trick! I'm really excited about working for him, though, I should learn a lot. Finally I think that's it for my update. Take care y'all. Laura Laura L'Heureux and Trella, too U. of Illinois VM96 [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 0453]