From: 
maevemoped 
Date: 2002-03-22 04:55:00 UTC
Subject: Back trauma update
             Thank you for your messages of hope about ferrets with back trauma.  
It does seem that there is quite a lot of hope if he has a back 
problem.
However, it seems that things are more serious than that.  The first 
that we noticed that anything was wrong was when we thought we had 
startled Merlin and he jumped and screamed in fear, however this was 
actually a fit.
It seems that he is having seizures and maybe the back trauma was 
caused during a fit. They don't think it's a slipped disk any longer, 
but there is still a lesion. So infact the back trauma could be 
secondary to whatever is causing the fits.  The vets have suggested 
viral encephalitis.
He's a very sick boy at the moment.  He was completely sedated 
yesterday and treated with valium, anti-immflammatories, anti-
convulsants and anti-biotics. He's had a comfortable night with no 
further fitting.
We are trying to piece the puzzle together about how he could have 
developed this.  The only new thing that Merlin has been exposed to 
is a cage cleaning product called Beaphar Ferret Odour.  Does anyone 
know of any problems with this product? Oh, and by the way, I live in 
the UK.
Angela