To Jeff Jones (and everyone else) concerning Helicobacter: >We eventually decided to try a different vet. We were referred to >a Dr. Jean Wardell in Annandale, VA. She diagnosed Mojo with a combination of >a diarhea (sp?) disease, gastric ulcers, and the Helicobacter stuff. >We took him off all of the hard-core antibiotics he had been on, and put him on >a regimen of Duck Soup, Pedialyte, amoxicillin, and pepto-bismol. Apparently >the Pepto and Amoxy have stuff in them that kills the Helicobacter. Charlie >and Jordan were given amoxy and pepto to keep them from getting sick again. >After four weeks of this regimen, Mojo has finally started eating and drinking >on his own again, he's his own playful self again, and he has started putting >on some of the weight he had lost (a few weeks ago, >he was down to 1 pound from 2.5; he's now back up to about 1.7). Yes, a prolonged regimen - at least two weeks, generally 4, of amoxicillin and Pepto-Bismol is required. Most ferrets will tolerate amoxicillin, but they all HATE Pepto. But it will help over the long run. >Dr. Wardell is highly recommended; she spent a long time with us in her office, >and spoke to us on the phone every day for over >a week, and once a week since. She interned with Dr. Thomas Kawasaki for almost >two years (Dr. Kawasaki says to say "Hello!" to you, Dr. Williams; we went down >to see him one day when Dr. Wardell was unavailable). I've known Jean and Tom both for about three years now, and I highly recommend them. I've taken my ferrets to them on occasion, and I also do their path work for them. If anyone has ferret problems and doesn't mind the drive to D.C. or just south of there, I highly recommend it. I often refer people to Tom (703-690-2580), he's a caring practitioner who also has the lowest prices that I have seen anywhere....Jean was well-trained in ferret medicine and although she has moved out on her own, they often treat many cases together. I think they're both top-flight ferret practitioners. Bruce Williams, DVM Department of Veterinary Pathology [log in to unmask] Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (202) 576-2453/2454 Washington, D.C. 20306-6000 [Posted in FML issue 0925]