From:
fhbythesea@aol.com
Date: 2001-03-09 02:37:00 UTC
Subject: Re: [Ferret-Health-list] RE: Gotta ask.
In a message dated 3/9/01 12:34:46 AM Eastern Standard Time,
mjanke@m... writes:
>IS it really possible for someone to look at a sunken,
>emaciated ferret and NOT realize something was wrong?
Sukie
Back in 1998, I had a scheduled drop off for 2 ferrets - the gentleman in
question said one had a cold the other had lost quite a bit of hair. He was
2, she was 8 years old. He couldn't make it out to my house until Tuesday of
the next week (this was a thurs/fri, IIRC). I said fine and went about
routine.
Tuesday arrives and the family bring in a square single story cage with one
towel and one obviously adrenal DEW female. I asked where the other ferret
was, and he said, oh hes there in the towel. I open up the towel to reveal a
cool to the touch, posturing ferret - his eyes were fixed and sunken. He was
in a coma. I looked at the guy and said "you understand that this ferret is
dying, don't you?" He said, no - he had a cold and just hadn't been eating -
for a WEEK. This was a typical sized male and should have weighed 3 pounds -
instead he weighed about 1/2 pound. I took almost no info on the ferrets and
rushed him to a friends house. We tried forcefeedings and sub-q fluids, but
he died about 40 minutes later.
The previous owner of Griz actually seemed stunned when he called back to see
how he was doing and was told that he died. Since I could do nothing else to
help Griz, what I did do was call every SPCA, animal control or humane
society in my area and reported this family to him, including name, SSN, etc
- because although no one makes it public knowledge, there is a 'do not
adopt' list out there -and I wanted to make sure that this family could never
do that to another pet.
Lisa Leidig, Head Ferret
The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
www.ferrethaven.org