[Moderator's note: All of Dr. Williams' posts have been reformatted, some excess attributions cut, and in some cases subjects added, but no content was altered. BIG] To Deborah Micklea: > Does anyone else out there have any experience with a ferret with >[cardiomyopathy]? What should I expect?... I got his "sister" at the >same age and time. What if they are litter mates? Could she get it? Debbie, this is tough news. For a good brief on cardiomyopathy in ferrets - check the Ferret FAQ - see above for details. Unfortunately, ferret kits with cardiomyopathy rarely make old bones. We see a lot of CMP in older animals, as it gets rpgressively worse over a lifetime, but hen we see it in a five month-old - that's pretty severe. It certainly runs in bloodlines, so the parents and the siblings probably also have the predisposition, but they may not develop heart failure at such a rapid rate. In that regard, it differs somewhat between related individuals. Lasix, a diuretic, is not a cure, but it does tend to decrease the blood volume a bit, making it easier for the failing heart to pump the blood around the body. Also check with your vet about the use of digitalis and enalapril (which you will probably need late on in the prgression of the disease. Will the pet store care - not really. Ferrets often come from a variety of locations - and they may not even be able to trace the animal back to the original breeder. -- Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP Department of Veterinary Pathology [log in to unmask] Armed Forces Institute of Pathology [log in to unmask] Washington, D.C. 20306-6000 (202) 782-2600/2602 [Posted in FML issue 1168]