We had a very interesting ferret come back to our shelter. He had been adopted out about 2 years ago perfectly healthy. Over a period of time he came up with a very loud cough that sounded like a seal and also was vomiting when he ate. The first vet he saw diagnosed it as megasophagus. He was medicated for that but showed little improvement. Another vet saw him and treated him for pneumonia. A little improvement but still no cure. A third vet took x-rays and said he definitely had bronchitis so treated him for that. He did improve, but the cough was still there. He was then treated for bordatella. Nothing!! This was getting frustrating!! Finally the vet decided to do a lung wash. You will never believe this! He has ecoli. After going back to the owner that relinquished him back to the shelter, we discovered his favorite pass time was to tip over the garbage can and take off the lid and select out tasty snacks. He is now on the road to recovery and has a new Mom and Dad waiting to welcome him into a new home. A happy ending to a long journey. Chris Mathis Oregon Ferret Shelter www.millenium-online.com/oregon-ferret-shelter [Posted in FML issue 2682]