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Readers Column
Special Delivery!
The two letters below reference what was in last week's CLIFFNotes. Archived issue are available here
I am writing in regards to the reader who said their vet was having problems finding Melatonin Implants for ferrets or as it is called Ferretonin.
They can visit Melatek on line at:
Veterinarians can order thru one of the distributors listed below. Both are nation wide veterinarian product distributors.
Professional Veterinary Products, Ltd. (PVP)
Call 1-800-228-0077
MWI Veterinary Supply (MWI)
Call 1-800-824-3703.
Also any clients that are AAHA members call MarketLink at 888-722-2242
Hope this helps,
Sharon B.
One, to the Petsmart employee story #1, the vet is misinformed. Vets are allowed to treat ferrets despite their illegal status. Also, at the Petsmarts in Mountain View, CA and Sunnyvale, CA, all employees and managers would tell people that ferrets are legal, just that you can't buy or sell them in California. When trying to tell them they are wrong, they act like you're an alien from outer space.
Two, to the person with the 7 year old adrenal ferret, if you can either forward my email to them or theirs to me, I can talk with them about their ferret. We have had dozens of adrenal ferrets and have done every single treatment...double adrenalectomy, single, cryo, Lupron, melatonin, everything...the itching is normal, and often won't go away even after surgery. The ferret's tumor is likely growing, and fur loss is showing because the meds are not keeping growth at bay. Also, at age 7 you can see shedding in adrenal ferrets - and the fur can take longer in older ferrets to come back, so it may not be from the adrenal, or it could be. With the age of 7 surgery is likely not an option, but a vet should ultrasound or feel the adrenal to see what the risk of rupture is at this point (if it's not being monitored). Rupture is always fatal; surgery on a ferret who is at risk for rupture is not always fatal, even at 7 years old. Anyway, there are other things to discuss...the licking is one of the worst things adrenal ferrets do, and it's all hormonal. It's overgrooming. Even ferrets who don't have a lot of symptoms can display this behavior to the dismay of cagemates who end up sometimes with hotspots due to being aggressively groomed.
Laryssa
Please do not feed your ferret dog bones this could be why she scratches her self. I like the Totally Ferret food. My ferrets love the turkey, venison and lam the best of all of them. Put 4 drops of the liquid melatonin in there afternoon soup. This could help with their hair loss. Walgreens sells it. If not go on line under liquid melatonin. Since I have been using it my ferret are doing very good. I buy my Totally Ferret from Ferret Depot. I gring it up with a coffee grinder and put some Nutri-Cal for ferrets 4 drops Melatonin and water to make my soup. Good luck for it has been good for my ferrets.
This is for the lady that was asking about the Melatonin. I have been using it for my ferrets with adrenal for a number of years and have found that it really helps with the hair regrowth (except when the adrenal disease is too far advanced), also will help with the itching and possibly with the licking although I have never had one that was an excessive licker. It could be one of the ways she uses to deal with the adrenal disease. This is just my opinion and I am NOT a vet, just a long time ferret owner and rescue/shelter Mom.
I believe she was also asking about where to get the Melatonin. I get mine at a Health Food Store and I use the 3mg capsules. Originally I was using 1/2 of a capsule mixed with chicken baby food and water (soup), 6-8 hours after sunrise to help with hair growth and vulva swelling but her vulva swelling wasn't going down so when I checked with my vet he told me to use the whole capsule. That was about 2 months ago and her vulva swelling was gone in a week and hasn't re-appeared. I know she won't be with me for many more months but at least she is happy and playful and not scratching all the time and she has a beautiful fur coat! This is the same Melatonin that is sold for peoples' use to help them sleep, not something different just for ferrets.
I live in Canada and I have read (on other groups that I'm on) that some of your big pharmacies (in the US) carry the liquid Melatonin and I wanted to mention that some of it contains alcohol and I would stay away from that, but if you can get it mixed with water it would be much easier to mix. Ok I've written a book almost so I'll quit now. If the lady wants to email me it is okay to give out my email addy.
I wish you much luck in Legalization and hope it comes about without too much more hassle, but they do say that anything worth having is worth fighting for! So keep up the good fight
Hugs
Lynne and the brats (to the north of you in BC, Canada)
Ferrets Need Homes
I am asking $150. for both I want them to stay together. That includes the cage. I am in Temecula, CA. 45 min N of San Diego. Yes my email is tammynrodriguez@yahoo.com Thank you so much! I just want them to go to someone who will give them the home they should have! They are so sweet and love to be held."
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Schwarzenegger Can't Legalize Ferrets?!
 When Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed a ferret amnesty bill in 2004 - he said he wouldn't sign such a bill without an Environmental Impact Report. What we failed to understand (and to be honest, I still have a few doubts) is that in order for ferrets to be legalized in California - it requires a bill go through the legislature and be signed by the governor to be law.
Previously in CLIFFNotes we mentioned trying to get a "pardon" for ferrets during Governor Schwarzenegger's last months in office. I asked former Senator Dede Alpert (Who's ferret amnesty bill Schwarzenegger vetoed) is this even doable. She requested help from someone previously on her staff who came back with this answer - "amending the Fish & Game code can not be done without legislation."
There is good news and bad news in this development.
The good news - We are more than half way through the research to file the Environmental Impact Report. Anyone who is knowledgeable on this subject knows it will be completed and document that domestic ferrets pose no threat to the environment or anything else.
Candidates for the legislature didn't take us too seriously in 2008 because the EIR wasn't even begun. A few (including the speaker John Perez) said come back after the EIR is done. The 2010 election is about to start and we are in a good position to really track the candidates and make a favorable impression before the election - which will hopefully make finding a sponsor for the bill easier.
The bad news - we are going to have to craft the bill. Which means all sorts of details. There are people who support us who don't want pet stores to be able to sell ferrets. There are those who want them microchipped and those who want to prohibit microchipping. Last time we had politicians who wouldn't support ferret legalization if it didn't require mandatory rabies vaccination and one who said he wouldn't support the bill if it did require rabies vaccination.
And getting a sponsor, even with all the facts in the world can still be difficult. To be brutally honest - ordinary people have a real hard time affecting our state government.
I am going to do more research and get some comments from people in power to exactly what do we need to do to get them legal. The Fish and Game Commission has removed animals from the prohibited species list without legislative approval. They have said they treat ferrets differently because the issue has been politicized.
More Politics
Might I suggest leaving all political opinions out of the CliffNotes? It doesn't matter who has what opinion, it becomes divisive, because there will always be a group who disagrees with it. And now, more than ever, ferret lovers need to be united in California; rather than arguing ther merits of various partisan ideas. I, for one, want far more to legalize ferrets than to discuss the failures of politicians. So far, no one has really done much good in decades.....
Thanks, Debbie
Debbie - I appreciate your comments, honestly! And I even recommended Republican Assemblyman Chuck Devore, now a candidate for US senate as a speaker at next month's round up. But I still maintain Republicans are apt to tell us what we want to hear and turn away when we need them!
2010 Ferrets Anonymous Round Up Info:
When: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Where: Brea, CA
Location: Brea Veterans Club
Address: 735 South Brea Blvd., Brea, CA 92821-5310
Veterans' Club Tel: (714) 529-4874
Time: 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
All Ferrets Anonymous members are invited to attend Round Up. If you have an interest in joining Ferrets Anonymous, you are also welcome to attend.
The Annual meeting of FA includes:
2010 FA Officer Elections
Sales tables - offering wonderful products for sale
Raffles - benefiting FA
Guest Speakers - to further educate our members
Potluck Luncheon
& More!
Entry Fee: $10/person
Table Hosting Fee: $25/table
We're looking for interesting speakers for the event. Would you like to donate your time to educate the attendees of this year's Round Up? Please contact Lance M. at (949) 303-8481 for more information.
If you'd like to host a sales table at Round Up, we'll need to know so we can reserve your space ASAP.
 Can't Find a Place for the September 25th Northern California Ferret Event
We've been looking for a meeting location for Saturday, September 25th in the Walnut Creek area. A lot will be going by then and we'd like to have some sort of gathering. The one hotel I called (Embassy Suites) didn't really want us and would charge $50 per meal. The City of Walnut Creek has a number of nice facilities but charge $1500 to rent them on a Satuday. I've got a few more calls in and am expanding the location - but if you have a suggestion for a meeting location - please pass it on!
 I became a Pampered Chef Consultant recently because of enthusiasm for the products. Being an Independent Consultant is just my style. I work on my own time and pick and choose how often I want to work.
Pampered Chef offers fund raising opportunities, too. My current goal is to help legalize ferrets in California. Can you believe that they are illegal? Log onto http://www.legalizeferrets.org for further information. I am currently hosting a fundraiser for this awesome organization in an attempt to raise money this cause is in dire need of.
If you want some, place an order.
If you want more, host a show.
If you want it all, join my team!!!
Call or e-mail me and we'll chat if you would like to host a show or learn more about the experience! God bless!
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T-shirts A Big Hit
How nice to get notes. And thank you Julie for the kind notes on our ladie's cut t-shirts.
These shirts are availble online at hereor at next month's Ferret Round Up.
In Conclusion
I was disapointed to hear from Nora Lynn that ferret legalization would be even more difficult that we had thought. Another legislative attempt?! I read somewhere on line that each bill introduced through the legislature, successful or not - costs the state an average of $80,000. Can we even get an author? Big groan!
But our organizational strength is pretty good. We are at about 4,500 subscribers to this newsletter and Joe Ferret is at 759 friends. We can do this!
The OC Pet Expo is happening in April, sign up sheets will be here shortly and I'll try to get all the slots filled by the time of the Round Up. New literature will be available as well. If you've never for to the OC Pet Expo - it is worth the hassle and expense.
Our YouTube Ferret Video Contest is set to start on Memorial Day and run through Labor Day - $500 cash prize, rules the same as last year.
And come September we want to have a Northern California meeting and we hope to have a little excitement as the EIR research is done and the election nears. Will Jerry Brown or Meg Whitman/Steve Poznier or who ever the candidates are even speak with us?
So stay tuned. The fight is uphill, but we're turbo-charged!
We didn't hear from Lance this week. |
