Since I got into ferrets in 1988, I've been through many vets looking for help & a good ferret vet. Unfortunately, good ferret vets aren't always easy to find. This is how we do it & these are my opinions - if anyone out there is looking, you may/may not want to try any of these... 1) Check the STAR* database. If there aren't any vets listed in your area, try calling local ferret rescues/shelters and asking who they use. If there aren't any rescues listed in your area, try calling local animal shelters. Sometimes they work with individuals that rescue all sorts of animals - these individuals might be able to point you in the right direction. 2) Watch the vet handle your ferret. I've been to many that *say* they know ferrets, but really don't even know much about holding or restraining them. Remember that lots of vets have the can vaccinate or give you antibiotics without knowing that much about ferrets. Honest ones will tell you they don't know much more than that. Many won't admit they don't know enough... which means you may not recognize that there is a problem with the vet until there is a problem with your ferret. NEVER HESITATE TO GET A SECOND OPINION! 3) Ask lots of questions! I usually start off asking, "do you mind if I ask you a few questions..." I ask if they're online (if not, I offer them every resource at my disposal). I ask them to estimate how many ferrets they see a week, if they work with any rescues, and if they're comfortable operating on ferrets. I ask if they've dealt with ECE. Ask if they've ever owned a ferret. 4) Make sure the vet listens to you! You know your pet better than anybody. If you think the ferret isn't acting right, and the vet is telling you your pet is fine, you might want to look for a new vet or GET A SECOND OPINION. If you took your child to a doctor, said something was wrong, & the dr didn't listen - you'd go to another pediatrician, wouldn't you? This can either make you feel better about your vet, or get the help your ferret really needs. 5) If a vet lists several things that could be wrong & doesn't offer treatment, or you feel the treatment they are suggesting is too extreme or not aggressive enough... ask for treatment options & have them explain why they feel the treatment they suggest is best for your pet. If what they are saying doesn't feel right to you GET A SECOND OPINION! Vets are not perfect (except maybe for those who post on the FML)! :) I'd rather spend more $$ to hear the same advice twice than wonder what another vet might have said. 6) If you're not sure if the vet is for you - shop around. We do many well visits to check out new vets. This will give you a good basis for comparison. It is best to do this when your pet is well because it is hard to be objective when your pet is sick or injured! Besides, you're going to be focusing more on your loved one than the vet. This is also good to do because a vet can better treat your pet if they've seen it when its well & have a baseline for comparison. We've got a vet we love, but we still shop around. You never know when you'll need one... and believe me, when you need one, they're even harder to find. 7) Ask about emergency visits... how long it takes them to get to the office, if they can treat any emergency - or if they refer to emergency clinics. If they refer, you'll need to make sure the staff there is familiar with ferrets, too. Call around and have a back-up vet of your own... just be sure to ask if the vet will see your pet in an emergency if you haven't been in for an office visit. In emergecny situations, some vets only see patients that have had previous office visits. Like I said, this is just what works for us. These are suggestions & may or maynot work for you. Anybody have any other suggestions? Vets, are there any things you'd recomend? Andi [Posted in FML issue 1499]