From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2004-08-13 04:47:03 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Risks of disease in elderly ferrets
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <20040813044703.30820.qmail@web50802.mail.yahoo.com>
Hi, Mary, and everyone else,
Some ferrets stay healthy until the ailment that ends
their lives appears. Others are medically challenged
all their lives. Others just start having problems
late in life. I do think, from all I've learned and
from my own limited experience, that there are more
medical problems in geriatric ferrets (age six and
over) than in younger ones.
The first two ferrets I knew belonged to my brother's
college roommate. We know for certain when and where
they were bought as kits. We know they were
Marshall's. We know when they died. They were 13
years old. Medical problems? Not before age 13.
We lost Ryo-Ohki at age three and a half. She had an
abcessed anal gland, two adrenal surgeries, and a
final exploratory surgery, plus an assortment of other
little ailments in her short life.
I am not convinced we did anything wrong for Ryo or
that Brian did anything extra special for his first
pair. There are a lot of factors (i.e.: genetics)
that we simply can't control.
You have a happy, healthy nine year old. Great! Old
ferrets who are happy and healthy are some of the most
affectionate and wonderful animals on the planet.
All the best,
Caity and the fabulous four
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