From:
whiteweasel@earthlink.net
Date: 2003-10-03 19:06:42 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: Tiredness Old age or illness
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <8016906.1065208002510.JavaMail.root@skeeter.psp.pas.earthlink.net>
Hi, Jen, and everyone else,
> I will have to get back to you on the type of blood tests done To
> be honest I was so glad he thought Taz was just getting older
> and starting to slow down.
I read somewhere that ferrets who have no health problems don't
slow down until their 9th or 10th year (8-9 years old). I think we
see so few ferrets with absolutely no problems that it's hard to
know if that's accurate.
>From what we know Podo and Kodo had no health problems until
their 8th year. Now 9 (in their 10th year) Kodo has slowed down
tremendously but still has occasional short bursts of energy. Podo
hasn't slowed down and has been acting like a young ferret since
insulinoma surgery 14 months ago.
I wouldn't assume a ferret is going to slow down at a given age.
Look at people. Some folks are vibrant in their 80s or even later,
while others seem old in their 60s. I think ferrets age at
different rates as well. I let our vet decide on what kind of
medical care is appropriate. We did surgeries with great success on
eight year old ferrets. I judge "great success" as good quality of
life a year or more later.
All the best,
Caity and the non-stop nine