From:
"Amy & Dave Seyler"
Date: 2002-11-02 03:09:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Need advice on euthansia
To: "FHL" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <OE18Z9FFIXR5lK06Ye200001e08@hotmail.com>
I'm dealing with this situation right now. Max is 8.5 and has had insulinom=
a for over a year and adrenal for the past 8 months or so. He used to grunt=
when using the bathroom, or if I picked him up or if he was moving around =
in his cage. I've probably spent $700 on him in the last couple of months, =
because I thought the adrenal was giving him an enlarged prostate, which wa=
s causing his discomfort from peeing. Yes, his prostate is enlarged, but no=
t terribly, and he's on Lupron. It turns out though, that his problem peein=
g is related to a raging infection which after almost a month of antibiotic=
s we are finally getting under control.
Max's routine is this: get up, fly out of the cage, run to the bathroom doo=
r and dig to be let in and put in the tub with water, get out, crawl in his=
sleep sack, and then go to sleep. He has 2 cubes of duck soup twice a day,=
with pred. I've wondered about the quality of his life, but I have to tell=
you that I think he's just old and doing fine.
It sounds to me like Maggie might need to see a vet and just make sure ever=
ything's okay, but really, she just sounds like an old ferret. We've been t=
hrough many and this sounds fairly typical (expect for the whining when usi=
ng the bathroom). Max still grunts in his sleep, but I think of it now like=
an old man trying to get around. I would say unless she's in a coma or in =
obvious pain, she's not quite ready to go yet.
BTW, the vet was stunned with Max's bloodwork -- nearly perfect for a ferre=
t HALF his age. Other than the adrenal and insulinoma, he's healthy as a ho=
rse. He might be the one that lives to 10!
Amy, Dave, Sarah & Paul (and their gaggle of giggling ferrets)
RIP Ian, Elektra, Claudia & Sidney
Missing Tasha