This is my personal opinion, only supported by 9 years of my experience with pred use in ferrets (my first 5 years we didn't have ailing ferrets), minimal use in myself and Sunny dog. I've used pred for myself, short term, and the results are fantastic. When I had pneumonia, using pred was the only thing that gave me relief for the 6 days I was on it (the doctor wouldn't refill the prescription so I suffered the rest of the ailment). From my personal experience I would rather take pred and be comfortable rather than feel like I'm on deaths door. I've used pred for my Sunny dog, who has had three (if not more) strokes. While it does help him, I can see that it also makes him feel bad and he becomes incontinent as well. I use the lowest possible dosage for him. But when he has a stroke and can't stand because his head is so far tilted to the left it sends him tumbling, the pred takes down the inflammation in his brain so he is able to maintain a fairly level stance. It also helps to relieve some of the inflammation in the arthritis in his back legs. From what I've read, pred works differently in ferrets than in other animals. I've had ferrets with insulinoma on pred for 2+ years and other than a bit of abdominal fluid retention they seemed perfectly normal. Without pred, an insulinomic ferret can only be stabilized for so long and unless you are home all day monitoring them, you might not see low sugar episodes until they become severe and lengthened. Each episode takes a bit more out of the little one. Eventually they'll either suffer severe brain damage or go into a coma and die. In the lympho cases we've handled, pred decreased the lymph swelling and allowed the ferrets to lead a relatively normal life for the remainder of their time. In Farah's case, we didn't think she'd live through the night when we picked her up. Her lymph nodes were so swollen it looked like she had giant hot dogs around her neck. She was starving because she couldn't bend her head to eat from her bowl. Pred took the swelling completely down and allowed her to become a relatively normal ferret and for 6 weeks we were blessed with her presence. In those short 6 weeks, Farrah led a painfree (to our knowledge), happy, loving life. In using too little pred because of fear of side-effects, you may actually be decreasing the quality of life for your little one. Our vet starts with the lowest dosage then increases until normal or comfortable activity and quality of life is achieved. This dosage is individual ferret specific. In my personal opinion, quality of life is very important and I will do everything in my power to help an ailing ferret. Ferrets also have a much shorter life span than humans and some other animals and in some ailments, pred is the only medication that will help stabilize them. There are ferrets that have had reactions to pred and alternatives were researched (yucca) and used instead. The key is to research all of your options when dealing with ferret ailments. Talk with your vet and others, use the internet, visit your library, read through the ferret medical info, etc. Ulysses goes back to Larry this afternoon. He is not doing well, raspy, doesn't want to eat, uncomfortable. Krystal also is not doing well, nausea, lethargy, doesn't want to eat. At least the bleeding is stopped. sigh. Please send healing thoughts, wishes, and prayers. Ferret Store - Only good things to say about them. Joe is great. The other stores on the internet are offering one per person specials. When that is done, their prices will go back up. BUT they do carry other items that the Ferret Store doesn't such as Iams, Science Diet, Pro Plan, etc. so you can still support the Ferret Store by purchasing your regular 'ferret' stuff there and the other items through the other companies. hugs to all. tle Troy Lynn Eckart Ferret Family Services http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/ Please sign up to support our charity http://www.iGive.com/html/ssi.cfm?cid=46&mid=58395 [Posted in FML issue 2826]