Questions to Ask a New Vet

[Deleted]

So I'm looking for a ferret friendly vet before I bring home my fuzzy, and I started putting together some questions to ask. However, this is less than a comprehensive list, so please feel free to list Questions you think are important!

1) What are your thoughts on a Raw or Whole Prey Diet?

2) What are some preventative measures I can take to keep my fuzzy from contracting Adrenal Disease or Insulinoma (or any other relatively common ferret illness)?

3) Have you heard of deslorelin? What are your thoughts on its use?

4) Do you run ferret blood work and labs or only vaccines? (I actually talked to a clinic that only does ferret vaccines but won't run any bloodwork.)

5) What are your general costs for a check up, vaccines, implant, blood work, etc.?

6) How much hands on experience have you had with ferrets?

7) Have you had to perform any ferret surgeries? What was the success rate of these surgeries?

8) How open are you to holistic or alternative treatments or practices?

9) If a procedure needs to be done that requires a specialist, do you have a network you can refer me to?

[Deleted]

Those are all good questions. There is a big difference between your average vet who generally sees cats and dogs, with the occasional ferret patient and a ferret vet who has the credentials of an exotic vet specialist. Here is a good article to help:

www.wbeph.com/birds/how-to-find-an-experienced-exotic-pet-vet/

Also here is our Vet List, from Members who have used these Vets and choose to recommend them:

holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/6/list-vet?page=4

It also helps to have an after hours Emergency Clinic number. Most emergencies happen at odd hours.

[Deleted]

Oh good point! I'll make sure to ask about a 24hr hospital. And thank you for that link! I had looked at our list but the only California vets weren't near me. If this vet turns out to.be good, I'll be sure to mention them and add them to our list!

[Deleted]

Great. That helps alot. We also have a another list by Country and State.
Sometimes, the best way to search the forum is to go to your windows browser and type in
(as an example) Holistic Ferret Forum vet list by Country and State.
That will bring up a list of Threads and you can choose which one to look at.

[Deleted]

I think that's the list I had looked at. None of those were close (we're talking a couple of hours of driving) so I feel super lucky to have found this vet- if they're as good as I'm hoping!

[Deleted]

Thank you for this! I am a born again ferrent and am taking my newly re-homed, 7 month old, Ruby, to her first vet appointment in a week. They have an exotic pet specialist on site and I was just wondering what sorts of things I should talk to him/her about. This thread has been very helpful! Ruby will be getting her rabies and distemper vaccine. Being new to the game again, I need all the tips I can get to insure a quality visit. Are there any other things that a vet should be looking for on a first visit of a ferret Ruby's age? The past owners did not have any paperwork on her and had not taken her to a vet. They bought her at a Petco about 6 months ago....and then I adopted her. Thanks!

[Deleted]

Every marshall farm ferret gets a canine distemper shot before leaving the farm.

Also rabies is only contracted when in contact with a rabid animal. It is not airborne.

Although rabies shots are law in my state, i choose not to vaccinate.

I did vaccinate (rabies) my annabelle because she is a biter---scared she would bite tech who clips her nails--automatic 10 day quarantine in my state if no rabies shot.


Also I would never do two shots at one time.