From:
More Ferrets?!?
Date: 2001-05-23 20:09:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Questions on mating behavior
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Karen Purcell, DVM"
<drkaren@w...> wrote:
> I've seen this before, and it turned out to be the most
aggressive
> adrenal tumors I'd ever witnessed (my own ferret, of
course). I
> suspect the panel will come back elevated, but surgery here
is a good
> bet before he starts having urinary problems. The poor
panda is just
> a victim here, separation is a good idea.
>
> -Dr. Karen
>
heh heh...victim...heh heh...
one day a client called to inquire about his ferret. festus
was 6.5 and vigorous as always, but he had started dribbling -
that was it! ok...he brought him over so i might get a look
at his coat. festus spent the day with me a few times over
the next few weeks so i could watch his coat. you know when
the loss is SO gradual it's hard for someone seeing critter
every day to notice? i *thought* i noticed thinning...but it
just wasn't distinct. festus had always lived as a single
ferret, so i didn't want to freak him out by tossing him in
with anyone else, but i really wanted to see how he reacted.
festus had never made a peep for his poppa in all his life
until he met handsome. he immediately turned on the outboard
motor and didn't shut up the whole time he was here! hahaha!
too funny. handsome at the time was soon to go for surgery;
distinct for handsome since he was bald as an egg. so...let's
see what the rapist handsome thinks of festus? wowie zowie,
to borrow a phrase from dr. bruce. festus and handsome took
turns politely raping (or as close as two MF boys can get)
each other for the next couple of hours, then curled up and
went to sleep together. WE HAVE A WINNER, i announced to
poppa - it's official! hahaha! it was amazing how well
festus got on with my large group. "pardon me, before we
play, might i rape you for a while?" hahaha! the whole group
loved him and as soon as he was done with his raping, they
would all play with him.
that was the funny part of the story. festus went in for
surgery soon after his whirlwind romance with handsome. his
tumor was the size of an egg...horrible invasive...attatched
to his back muscles even. two hours of surgery and careful
dissection of the tumor mil by mil (aorta immediately under
the bottom layer eek) got almost all of it, but festus was
under too long and didn't make it. on the outside, festus was
in fine health. he was vigorous as usual, just a bit drippy.
festus was a good buddy to his pa and i sure enjoyed sitting
for him.
on the other hand, i just lost a critter in surgery on monday.
his left adrenal was large enough to have wrapped around to
the right side. arterys running all around and through the
tumor, perhaps feeding it even. surgery could not help with
this horrible tumor. fearless wonder bob had wandered into
the yard at a dog shelter and was hanging with the doggies,
but didn't feel well so he had no interest in others. no
agression whatsoever, but of course he was feeling rather
puny. so...agression tied to agressive tumors? certainly in
festus' case...for bob, it's impossible to tell since he was
so down when he arrived. handsome's tumor was "normal" for
what you might expect in a critter who had already gone a year
without treatment after distinct symptoms...had grown over
here and there but doc was pleased with his surgical result.
i certainly would say that this raping is pretty specific:
i've never seen anything like it or even close in a critter
who didn't have adrenal troubles (neutered boys, that is).
handsome had successful surgery and after being bald for over
a year (you mean ferrets don't lose their hair in old age? 4
years old BTW), he FINALLY began growing hair 3 months after
surgery! he just found a new home, too. a happy and sad
story, told only to mention that not all "rape victims" are as
tortured as others. ;)~ if you can stand the smut factor,
that's handsome "on top" hahaha.
Attachment 11k (image/jpeg) 2001 02 Handsome rapes Festus
02.04.01.jpg