From:
Larry Shoup
Date: 2002-06-20 17:45:00 UTC
Subject: Things are really bad now.
I have tried to feed Tigger on a daily schedule since Saturday: 9 am, 1 pm, 5 pm, and 9pm. At 5 pm today, she even refused baby food - and it is not like her to do this I know that I am frustrated right now, and that may be part of it. But also if she is not feeling well to not even eat anything, maybe she is telling me she doesn't want to suffer anymore.
It has been close to a week now, and though there have been spurts of changes now and then, there has not been any consistent change whatsoever. Maybe I will try again at 6, but I think I am just at wit's end as to why she is not eating anything at this point.
She appears too weak to even use her litter box. I had to help her this afternoon to get out of her bed and put her in the litter box. I cannot really explain this; because she wasn't in a stupor, she was alert and attentive, but she just appears that she just doesn't want to do much of anything.
I tried to play with her earlier today. I put her on the floor, and she just laid there; not in a stupor, because she would follow where I was going with her eyes and head. It took her about 5 minutes to actually move around some.
As much as I love her and care for her, she just seems to be doing worse. I talked to my wife on the phone and she said just wait until she gets home. Maybe Tigger will eat some food for her; because she just isn't doing anything for me right now.
Sometimes when I pick her up, her body feels really warm - especially when she first wakes up. This started yesterday - but it is always between 68-70 degrees in this house. If my wife agrees with me that we should have her put to sleep, we will make sure she has the time of her life before we do. She can tear up our lawn (with us there, of course) if she wants to. But if this decision is made, then we will have a few more wonderful moments with her to remember her.
This decision is really hard, because she has always been the "special" ferret not only to us, but to our other one's as well. As I said before, she has always been the "mama" ferret to all our other ones.
Right now I just want to spend some time with her and try to get her to eat some food soon. I may not answer email's for a few days, because I also need to do things around the house before Tami comes home from her business trip. Tigger has been greatly loved, and will be sorely missed. I am hoping that she might get somewhat better and return to eating and drinking on her own; but the reality of this is that there is a very slim chance.
Larry