From:
cjansa99
Date: 2002-03-14 21:34:00 UTC
Subject: The making of a ferret vet.
In anticipation of the day when I will be able to adopt more ferrets,
I contacted the vet to discuss some of the things that I may need
him to do when that time comes. When we discussed testing
capabilities he informed me that he had never drawn blood from a
ferret and he was reluctant to try becuse they stress so easily.
My delemma is this, I like this vet more than any of the others in
my limited pool of resources, and I would like to help him so that we
can learn together how to provide the best care for the ferrets in my
future. I know even the most ferret knowlegable vets had to do
their first blood draw at sometime in there career. Is there any
good resource I can provide him to help him learn the things
necessary to enable him to provide the proper medical care for
ferrets? A good book perhaps I could purchase for him? I already
got ferrets for dummies for me but the title might insult him. (lol)
He mentioned the book he has says that you can fill a capillary tube
by going into the eye of a ferret. Is that true??? Sounds worse than
the dreaded toenail clip! He also mentioned a vein in the tail? He
suggested possibly sedating them to do it. (ketamine I belive he
said). How hard is it to draw blood from a ferret?
Please be patient with me and the medical questions I may begin
bombarding you with. After losing my family I can't ask enough
questions it seems. Information is power! The archives here are
excellent!
Thank you,
Cindy