From:
JANICE GONZALES
Date: 2002-01-29 13:04:00 UTC
Subject: different views of rehabilitating ferrets
I think you are on the right track. I also rehab ferrets,
only most of mine are very old or in hospice care. So they
are here to stay with me for their life. I also use music
for them and for me. I use soothing and get up and want to
dance music. I sometimes will sing to them and always talk
to them. They respond to both in a very positive way. I
make sure I have eye contact with them, especially the ones
that are dieing or very sick. Then as they are looking into
my eyes I softly talk to them. It is a wondrous experience.
They seem to gain a will to live when there is a meeting of
the soul. I give massage therapy and warm water therapy.
This works wonders for weak muscles and ferrets who need to
be calmed down. The massage therapy works well for ferrets
who have seizures because it calms them after a seizure
along with medication. I believe that all the touching and
the more you give them is healing for the ferret and
yourself. I have metastatic breast cancer to bone and I
have a lot of pain in my spine and ribs where the cancer is.
When I work with a ferret I also find I have less pain. I
am very close to my guys that have cancer to. We have a
special bonding. You bet all this works. They feel your
love, warmth, energy and joy. When one is dieing I take
them to bed with me if it is at night and hold them, sing to
them, talk softly to them and pray for them. Almost all
have died peacefully in my arms this way. Only one
struggled with death. We struggled together. She was
having a hard time breathing and all night we struggled
together (meds were given and all the things done to make it
easier for her to breath). She didn't want to die, but to
much was against her. She had had adrenal and Insulinoma
surgery, a bowl resection, a nipped artery and pneumonia. I
have never felt such a closeness to a ferret like this.
Finally she gave up, curled up in my arms and died
instantly. Keep on with what you are doing because it is
just as important as any of the meds and care given. You
give them the will to live and the experiences you have is
beyond description.
Jan, the ferret Mom of many.