From:
<caitlyn@mizuhoradio.com>
Date: 2003-12-05 00:18:07 UTC
Subject: Health problems and longevity (was: Angora and missing undercoat?)
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Cc: <sukiec@optonline.net>
Message-ID: <39306.155.226.255.42.1070583487.squirrel@www.mizuhoradio.com>
>> Out of the eleven ferrets I've had, all but two have had severe health
>> problems before the age of five.
>
> No, your experience is anything BUT the norm form what I have read and
> what I have experienced.
I agree with Sukie. Of course, that depends what you mean by "major".
We've had five cases of adrenal disease (out of 10) before the age of five
and two cases of insulinoma. However, all our ferrets are at least five now
and we only lost one before that age. We also have two nine year olds and
neither had significant health issues that we are aware of (they were
rescues) until age seven and a half despite very difficult lives prior to
coming to us.
I think someone posted a while back that you have to count on an average of
one major medical problem during a typical ferret lifespan of 7-9 years.
The average cost of medical treatment per ferret is around $1,000. Of
course, that included ferrets who never have a problem their entire lives
(and there certainly are ferrets like that) and ones that are medically
challenged. Not counting Pertwee our average has been less than that so
far. Pertwee cost almost $8,000 over his life.
The two oldest ferrets I have ever known, both of whom lived to be 13 and
came together as kits, were from Marshall Farms. They never had any
significant health issues. We have no way of knowing but they could very
well have come from the same litter. The youngest we've lost a ferret was
at three and a half, and she was also from Marshall Farms.
All the best,
Caity and the over-the-top eight