THE ADVICE DISPENSED BY MYSELF IN REFERENCE TO FML POSTINGS IS NOT MEANT TO SUPPLANT THE ADVICE OF VETERINARIANS WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THE PATIENT. IF THE PATIENT IS NOT CURRENTLY UNDER THE CARE OF A VETERINARIAN, THE CLIENT IS RECOMMENDED TO TAKE THEIR FERRET TO ONE. >From: Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: One Medical, + Various and sundry >I am planning to adopt a ferret from a shelter near Hamilton. Because of >Monster's age (4), I am getting a large neutered Hob (hopefully big enough >to hold his own) who has never had a problem with other ferrets. Sorry, but your post was too general to make specific comments about. Because the kidney is emptying into something else than the bladder does not mean it is not functioning. Mammals can live with one third of their original kidney cells. That is why you can donate one kidney since you would have 50 % left. So your ferret may have a normal life span. There are predisposing factors to early kidney cell die off which is what you want to avoid. 1) urinary tract infections - the bacteria can go upstream and cause kidney infections. 2) dental disease - the bacteria in the tartar and plaque have a pretty easy time to go into the bloodstream and can lodge in the kidneys and cause kidney cell loss. 3) In dogs and cats, a lower protein food might help. Due to the ferrets relatively high protein requirements in general, this is probably not a feasible idea to put them on a lower protein diet. Mike Dutton, DVM, DABVP Weare Animal Hospital Weare, NH. [Posted in FML issue 1473]