Pets

5 Tips For Adopting A New Puppy This Spring

Adding a puppy to your family is a huge responsibility but can also be just as rewarding and fun. A puppy requires a lot of care, including training, vet appointments, and exercise.  You’ll also need to stock up on puppy essentials such as food, t..

How to Keep Your Pets Safe During the Holiday Season

The holiday season seems to start with Halloween and run straight through the New Year. That means there will be tons of food and activity over the course of a two month period. While you are having tons of fun with family and friends, it's important..

Over Aggressive Dogs and House Guests

Dogs at a very early age may start to show signs of aggression, when a new dog or pup is brought into your home behavioral training should start. If the dog is not taught from the beginning that humans are the pack leader, they will assume the role o..

Unexpected Dangers to Tiny Teacup Breeds

The teacup breeds are often sought after because of their “convenient” size. Their tiny stature can be inconvenient at times. If you are - or soon will be - a pooch parent of a teacup breed, there are a few unexpected dangers to keep watch for wh..

Ferret Heatstroke Prevention

The warmth of summer is upon us and owners of ferrets are urged to take precautions against heatstroke with their ferret companions. High temperatures, above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, can be fatal for ferrets as they do not pant to keep cool. The following tips are provided to help maintain cooler temperatures for your ferret friends:

Hyperadrenocortisicm

One of the most common conditions that ferrets are treated for is Hyperadrenocorticism, or adrenal disease. This is not to be confused with Cushing’s disease, more commonly seen in dogs and cats. The difference is where the problem lies: In Cushing’s disease, the affected organ is usually the pituitary overstimulating the adrenal glands, causing the oversecretion of hormones. In hyperadrenocorticism, a neoplasia or tumor is growing on the adrenal gland, causing it to be overstimulated. Traditionally, drugs used to treat Cushing’s disease are ineffective in ferrets.

A Chain of Events

Most of the ferrets that I have written about have come to me through typical rescues-But three ferrets came to me through a chain of events that I am still amazed by.

Zeus’ Story

Zeus and his friend Fred arrived at the Bay Area Humane Society (BAHS) at 7pm on Thursday June 6, 2002. According to the people surrendering them, they had become too time consuming and expensive to care for. It was mentioned that Zeus had a rough January, vomiting and losing weight. They also said that they had “nursed him through”. They gave the impression that he had recovered. Neither ferret had ever seen a veterinarian.

Fate’s Story

In early May 1996, I had a dream. I dreamt of waking up, opening the bedroom curtain, and seeing a ferret standing on its hind legs with its front paws against the screen, waiting to be let in. I told some of my friends that another ferret was coming.

Hildy

My name is Hildy and I live at a ferret shelter. Like the other ferrets here, I had a home before this. In my case, the person I lived with left me at a veterinarian’s office when he found out I needed surgery. The vet called my current mom because he knew she does ferret rescue and runs a shelter. She approved my surgery and gave me my beautiful new name (before I was “Anus”). Then I came to the ferret shelter as a permanent resident because of my age and the fact that I am not real steady on my feet. I have lived here with the other ferrets and mom for over a year. At the end of September, I had more surgery, and although my cancer has spread and I only have a few more months, my life here has been a happy one.