From:
bama1803@yahoo.com
Date: 2001-02-26 15:05:00 UTC
Subject: For Dr. Bruce Williams........please read and advise!
Dr. Williams,
My name is Rhea Fulmer, and I have spoken with you a couple of years
ago by phone and via email regarding Squirt, my ferret who is no
longer with us. I have a question now regarding Cocoa, a sable we
lost tonight. Our door downstairs leading to the outside was
apparently left wide open by our 5 yr. old neighor, and Cocoa got
out. We searched for hours inside and out, finally finding her in
the dryer vent, which she had gotten in from outside the house.
Because it goes DOWN to the basement, she was trapped. We found her,
but not until we had dried one load of clothes. When we got her out
she began vomiting and had a few episodes of diarrhea that looked
pink, as if it had some blood in it. She was alert otherwise, and
had no other previous health problems. We took her to an emergency
animal clinic that had told us that they treat ferrets. When we got
there, the vet said he thought she had a little bit of heat stress,
but that he was more concerned about her lungs and how they would
react tomorrow after having breathed the lint, and that she was just
a little dehydrated. He said that her lungs sounded clear at the
time, but that he wanted to start an IV, give her dexamethasone, and
a broad-spectrum antibiotic prophylactically, and keep her the
night. I told him we wanted to stay until after he had the IV going
so we could console her before we left. We were in the lobby only a
short time before his assistant came to tell us that she had arrested
and that he was trying to resuscitate her. She didn't make it. What
happened? We asked if he had put a mask on her to settle her while
he was starting the IV and he said he didn't because she wasn't
fighting him. She was alert when he took her back to the treatment
room. Was she just so stressed from the whole ordeal of the day that
she couldn't take it? We're so upset! Now we wonder if we should
have even taken her to begin with! Can you PLEASE shed some light on
what you think may have happened to her? We highly respect your
opinion, and appreciate any information you may give.
Sincerely,
Rhea Fulmer