Cathie, It sounds like you're doing everything right. If your kid is still eating, drinking, and eliminating properly--he's got a good shot. You say his fever is down, and his leg is less swollen. These are good signs. You ask about Duck Soup. It is a great source of food for a sick fur kid. You can find many different recipies in the FML archives or at www.ferretcentral.org. You also mention excited breathing. Is he panting like a dog? What is the temperature in Mexico city these days? Up here in Virginia, we've already been hitting the mid to high 90's. Do you have air conditioning? If not, fill a pop bottle with water, freeze it, wrap it in a towel and put it in your kid's cage. Panting is a sign of Heat Stress and can kill a ferret. As for forcing him to take the antibiotic and antipiretic--if you have ferretone or linatone, try mixing the drugs with that and see if he will take it. I've found a little malt extract that homebrewers use to make beer works wonders too. Your furkid will be in my thoughts and prayers tonight. Matthew in VA soon to be in CO. [Posted in FML issue 2707]