From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2003-07-13 14:14:48 UTC
Subject: Chiclet has passed away
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-id: <a06001a05bb3717e2b296@[10.0.1.10]>
Chiclet had very bad breathing problems last night which 6 mg of
Lasix reduced but did not stop. Then soon after her breathing got
bad again and then worse and when I was calling to see about a mercy
shot she lost consciousness and then had seizures so we decided to
let her pass at home, but she regained consciousness for a while,
then again lost it and had more seizures. When she next regained
consciousness see could not see, had no mobility or sensory from the
chest down, was unable to urinate, had no muscle tone below her
chest, and then she got worse from there. Our vet came here and
gave her her final shots -- one lose consciousness yet one more time
and then a heart stick.
Early yesterday she had improved some and even played a little --
with a light weight ping pong ball that rattles (Yvonne and Anne will
remember it as the ball Sherman had at the shelter after his
rescue.), with a fleece bell ball sewn to a string and hung so that
it was easy to move, and with a little bit of crinkly plastic.
In the evening and afterward, though, she began refusing food from us
for the first time in this 6 and 1/2 week battle she put up against
this disease. She also was making a point of doing extra lovey
things to us. I must have had 6 ear snuffles and one ear grooming
between the evening and about 2, and she insisted on seeing Steve
sleeping. She became upset if I'd let go of her so I held her till
her breathing was bit easier and she didn't need to be so vertical, I
guess around 4:30 to 5 a.m., then Steve got up and we set her up
next to me in bed and she and I rested and dozed on and off with
Steve watching over us. By 7:30 we knew that she had no chance and
called our vet who came over to our house and confirmed that.
Oh, something I forgot to tell him so I just called him. Starting
yesterday she began bleeding most every time she had a sub-cu; that
had never happened before. I know that she began showing some blood
in her urine just -- gosh, I guess on Friday, and the aspirate from
the site where this had first started was bloody just as seen with
others.
As much of her body as is needed, even all of her, is going to the
testing to try to find the answer for this. There are some kits in
PA who have died of this (None who survived.) and Chiclet is the only
one we know of in NJ. Because the ferrets showed different nodes up
as the first signs, and because I have not heard of any households
where anyone else of any species has come down ill my suspicions are
that it might be something carried by an insect or by an arachnid
relative, but that is just a suspicion, of course. Hopefully, and
answer will be found to prevent more deaths, but pathology from
multiple pathologists who know ferrets so far has not found the
answer, just the ravages the disease has wrought.
We're shaken. We always knew this could happen. After all, she has
been touch and go so many times during this, and she is the only one
to survive for so long with these symptoms. Still, she was maybe the
best fighter for survival we've ever had. Our vet did such an
incredible job giving her a chance; he timing everything right for
her to go this long when no other ferrets with the symptoms did.
This little girl wanted so much to live. I'm writing one note with
variations according to rules for places with special rules. Just not
up to writing more than one. In accordance with the FHL rules
sympathy posts that lack health content need to be sent privately if
a person wants to send one (no need, though, we have a back load of
things that got postponed for a long time because giving Chcilet a
chance was so very much mre important. I have two addresses:
sukiec@optonline.net, and sukie@mac.com if yo udecide that you want
to send one note. It may take me a bit of time tosay thank you but I
will try to thank each person who does.
End of ferrethealth Digest
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