From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2003-06-21 16:30:56 UTC
Subject: Re: Help! First Time Owner Overwhelmed!
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com, atthethreshold@earthlink.net
Message-id: <a06001200bb1a2d4a9af0@[10.0.1.38]>
When there is problem coughing a chest x-ray is the normal way to go.
Switch to tiny bits of real bananas as a treat now and then if he
loves them so much -- no dried chips. Also, no dried carrots and some
other dried things that aren't soft because they can cause blockages
(which also can cause a coughing-gagging type of noise). I know
someone who makes his own little banana chips so his don't get
terribly hard, are small, and are not oil-coated and he has no
trouble, but I have also heard of several ferrets who needed blockage
surgeries due to the standard store-bought types of chips. Don't
give foods or treats with such chips/chunks.
Some good foods include Totally Ferret, Marshall Farms, Path Valley,
8 in 1 Ultimate (not Ultra about which I've read many complaints),
the Ferretstore's Ferret Supreme, etc.
Attach wire mesh, a board, or another barrier to bottom of sofa. Put
a heavy plastic suitable for floor use over the part of the carpet
where he is digging.
Occasional sneezing is not a great concern usually. They get dust in
their noses. Also they often hold their noses to force sneezes and
then "face wash" spreading scent from glands that are behind their
ears over their faces. (I've also seen the mother Black Footed
Ferret on the national zoo camera site
http://natzoo.si.edu/Animals/SmallMammals/ do this so it's not just
our domestic ferret species
A number do talk less with age.
Finding vet:
http://www.smartgroups.com/vault/ferrethealth/ReferenceShelf/FerretVets.htm
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/vets/ Search by zip code, read FAQ first.
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/vets.htm
http://www.quincyweb.net/quincy/vet.html
http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-vets.html
http://www.geocities.com/houseferrets13uk/Vets.html UK vets
http://www.ferrets.org/Veterinarian_Listings.htm British Columbia vets
http://www.supportourshelters.org
I'm afraid that vet costs have to be expected with ferrets; they are
not cheap to keep properly. Sometimes (like with bad coughing) a vet
visit is essential just in case something is wrong because if
something is wrong then catching it early can make the difference
between life and death with some possible causes.
Also, if there have no shots since week 12 (age of 3 months) then the
ferret does not have all of the needed kit shots. There is a series
of three canine distemper shots which have to have specific timings
between them and then there is an Imrab 3 rabies shot given. Check
on what shots were given and when. If all of the needed vaccines
were not given then that is another reason to go to a vet. It is
recommended that the two types not be given in the same appointment,
that pre-medication be done, and that you wait at the vet's for at
least 45 minutes afterward. These are written about in the archives
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/ . The certificate given at purchase
refers ONLY to the first of the CDV series.
The typical timing of the canine distemper vaccines is approximately
weeks 8, 11, and 14 OR approximately weeks 8, 12, and 16. The
rabies vaccine can't be given until after age 12 weeks with some vets
preferring to wait another month or two to be safest.
Some very useful ways to learn a lot of the basics are to go to
http://ferretcentral.org and to join the Ferret Mailing List
<ferretrequest@cunyvm.cuny.edu> and read the faq for that. There are
also some good books out there (as well as some really bad ones).
You'll also find a number of sources of information in the critical
references at the Ferret Congress site http://www.ferretcongress.org
. http://www.ferret.org/readmenu.htm can be helpful, but notice that
in some places changes over the last few years (like including
Purevax CDV vaccine in the page on vaccinations) may not be updated.
*****LACK OF UPDATING IS A CAUTION FOR MULTIPLE SITES AND BOOKS.*****
(The archives and mailing lists help wonderfully to cover that gap.)