Message Number: SG12737 | New FHL Archives SearchFrom: "US7"
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 18:37:51 -0700
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: Sneezing.....
Message-ID: <E04VSB.21878QYH@comcast.net>
When you talk about science and medicine it's not real helpful to have an "=
opinion" about something, unless you're an experienced veterinarian. You ne=
ed facts.
Sukie has pointed out many times the difference between colds and influenza=
in ferrets. It's an important distinction, because influenza (or sinus inf=
ections, as Sukie has recently pointed out) will not just go away. Usually =
influenza causes secondary bacterial infections of some kind. Both sinus in=
fections and secondary bacterial infections require antibiotics immediately=
. Letting these kinds of infections "run their course" would be highly fool=
ish.
The reason I'm pointing this out is because I lost two of my ferrets due to=
my thinking "it was just a cold". It was even cute, their little sneezes. =
It seemed to be going away. But then their secondary infections advanced in=
to the nervous system. All my ferrets had cysts in their ears, which weren'=
t noticed until they burst and bled. This is how it entered the nervous sys=
tem.
Besides the two I lost, I have one ferret with a permanent head tilt and on=
e who moves like he has Parkinson's disease (some kind of neurological resu=
lt of the infection reaching the nervous system). Thankfully, both these gu=
ys are pretty healthy in spite of their handicaps. Sid, the one with the he=
ad tilt, has even learned to stand on his back feet. It took him over a yea=
r. Jaws will never stand on his back feet.
I think often of the two I lost. I have to look at my remaining guys each a=
nd every day with their handicaps, and it pains me that I was so ignorant a=
bout it. I would hate to have anybody else make this same foolish assumptio=
n.
Roary
Albuquerque, NM
---------- Original Message ----------
To: (ferrethealth@smartgroups.com)
From: (s.m.owens@rogers.com)
Subject: [ferrethealth] RE: Sneezing.....
Date: 2/11/2005 10:53:47a
:Many say they don't get the common cold, but I know of a few people (mysel=
f:included) that have had their ferrets come down with one. If everything:=
else is fine, I wouldn't worry about it. It will have to run it's course:a=
s in humans (unless a complication develops).
:
:Barring introducing a new product in the house (could be anything, ie::cle=
aning products, personal use (hairspray, etc.), new perfume), it:probably i=
s a bug they caught considering half of them are sneezing.
:
:Just my opinion.
:
Send comments to Pam at pjdutche@email.unc.edu. Please note that this address is only useful for questions about the FHL archive. Questions about ferret health, or those intended for the FHL, should be sent to the Ferret Health List.