From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2012-02-09 20:02:54 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] FHL purpose
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Okay, I was there at the beginning as one of the founding people.
The FHL began as a place to discuss ferret health, emphasizing things that have actual data behind them (One of our founders was a veterinarian.) in a civil fashion.
To see better what the FHL is NOT just go to the FHL Rules section in the Files section of the FHL.
There is often a lot going on that members do not readily see.
Some examples:
Years ago there was a member who had me up to all hours finding information about what she claimed was a terrible food poisoning breakout in shelter ferrets, a child, and some others in her region. After pressing her for location shelters in that region wrote to me to say that just was not happening. Privately i got enough information from her to find a number and call. Her son picked up because Mom had just been again put under treatment for delusions and he apologized profusely, saying that when she gets bad she makes up things and goes on lists with them for attention. This same person promised huge donations to things publicly on some ferret lists even though she has no money.
Several times there have been posters who came up with extreme stories on ferret lists who turned out to have the "cures" that worked for no one else be profit centers for them personally. That is not to say that everyone who has such posts is making money but some have said whatever hits a nerve in order to profit themselves.
Several times through the years there have been comments from badly scared and very knowledgeable ferret vets who are real experts who suggested that some discussions might harm too many ferrets and give their people heartbreak if the members did not know to exercise caution. This Vanadyl discussion appears to be another such situation.
Many times there have been people who posted who did not understand what they were saying or doing well enough and posed a risk to their ferrets and that can become a risk for others IF they don't ask their own vets and don't read widely enough (but luckily most people on the FHL WANT to learn so do read). Anyone can learn, all it takes are the time, the desire, and looking at all side of the discussion but favoring info from juried journals.
BTW, many of raising cautions, including me, HAVE tried something experimental with ferrets (We have had some of the first ferrets to have four meds commonly used in ferrets now and one that turned out to be bad.), with ourselves (I had the first wedge mastectomy done in the U.S. in 1980, and had PT experimental care for clubfeet in the earliest '50s.) because the experts felt there was reason to try BUT we had constant vet care, actual consultations, all needed follow- tests and monitoring, etc. THAT is how it is done right! Learning is good and getting data and providing careful oversight when anyone is having ; faith healing is questionable.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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