I just wanted to let everyone know how we are treating Idgie--remember lots of diarrhea but no vomiting and always eating and drinking. I took her to this vet--whom I thought, mistakenly, wouldn't know much about ferrets--and he gave her a complete work over. He was great. He talked about all the possibilities, was very gentle with her (and mind you she was a *very* good girl) and tolerated all my questions and comments about and from the FAQ. He found no parasites in her stool sample and she had not lost any weight from her June 5 vacination weight. He put her on metronidazole for secondary infections and gave me a nonallergenic food (KenVet Nutritional Care Feline Veterinarian Diet, Specialized Protein). He thought we should try this first to see if it was an allergic reaction to her food or a sensitive or ineffecient digestive system-both of which might have developed since she had that duodenal ulcer back in 94 (especially since she has had the seedy stool ever since the ulcer). WE are going to see how this goes before we start chasing anything else down, like lymphosarcoma or gastroentiritis. I was very pleased with him. He was interested in the FAQ and I left him with a copy of the Mini-Faq. The best part is Idgie's stool immediately firmed up and looks almost normal. I give her .25 cc of the medicine and then give her the food in the duck soup twice a day. She also has the dry food in her bowl but she doesn't much like it. She has been picking out the Iams since I was trying the slow switch again--just isn't going to work I don't think. She can't have her treats since we are testing for the food allergy so she gets a tiny bit of linatone each day. Her activity level has picked back up, so now I know she *had* gotten a little slower. She has been a very good girl about taking her very *bitter* medicine mixed with yogurt in a syringe. I know this may not be the end of the problem but at least for now she is doing much better. I thought this might help someone else down the line--my excuse for the long post. One last, and cute story about all this. When I brought her home from the vet I left her in the carrier (large one with a hammie) so she could rest and I wouldn't have to worry about her getting into Lisa's Iams. Well that night when Lisa got Idgie was still asleep. Well Lisa wouldn't not leave their room because the carrier was on the bed. I went in there to check on them and Lisa was just layed out in from of the carrier door looking at Idgie and dooking quietly like, "idgie, what's wrong, wake up, don't you want to come out". It was sooooo sweet and Lisa just looked at me when I came in like, "mom, what's wrong with my wrestling buddy". Lisa finally succeeded in waking Idgie up and they playing for awhile before I made them go to bed early for Idgie's sake. Anyway, these little fuzzballs never fail to amaze me just how social they are, makes me worry about what will happen when I do lose one of them.... Hope all the little sick munchkins out there start feeling better as quick as Idgie did. Thanks to all that responded to me directly for advice, and most of all thanks again for the FAQ--it is very reassuring to be able to know what the heck the vet is talking about AND to know that the vet has checked or at least knowledgeable of all the possible problems. Lindy (You guys are soooooo cute and sweet) Idgie (What he H*&%L is that stuff you are sticking down my throat, in that syrine, but yumacious on the milky looking stuff) Lisa (Oh god, Idgie is back to normal and WILL NOT quit chasing and wrestling me even when I am tired and hissing) [Posted in FML issue 1253]