From:
Sirkoko@wmconnect.com
Date: 2005-07-09 18:26:31 UTC
Subject: Re: very sad, very long
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <18064701.1120934313801.JavaMail.nobody@magnesium.smartgroups.com>
Sorry, I don't post often and for the last couple of weeks have not
even been reading much. I want to say that I'm very sorry to anyone with sick
babies or who have lost their babies. I also want to say that I'm sorry if I
misspell anything. But have had a very hard few months and it has only gotten
worse. Since March my sister has been in the hospital 4 times and had 3
emergency surg. The last one a colostomy. She is only 41years old and is doing
better (as well as you can under those conditions), so it would be an
understatement to say we had a good 4th of July. That was the day of last surgery.
And if that is not enough to keep someone stressed out, We have had two
very sick ferrets.
I will start with Shadow, AKA Ms. Bunz, she always has to taste test
mommy and daddy's food. She started slowing down 2 weeks ago and lost a couple
of oz. Got her to the vet, took 3 days, Dr XXX was out of the office and
her partner, Dr YYY, does not do ferrets, though she did give me fluids to give
her sub-q. She was anemic, stated treating her for ulcer (even thought no
other symptoms) and put her on high iron vitamins (June 24th) on the 27th and
28th she got blood transfusions from 3 of my other ferrets and by the weekend
was doing better, had gained weight and energy. Recheck on the 7/5, she was
even more anemic then when she was first checked, Dr XXX said what no one wants
to hear Leukemia and that Shadow was to weak to do the bone marrow tests to
find out what kind and how to treat it, she would not last long and we would
have to decide if we wanted to put her to sleep, since she was not have a good
quality of life. We did not have to make that choice though she died during
the night of the 5th.
2nd sick ferret, my Sirkokobean, had a UTI 3 1/2 weeks ago and at that
time Dr XXX said that she felt a small "growth" in his abdomen, just a
shadow showed on x-ray, so no hurry about check it out, clear up UTI then we
worry about that. He hated the amoxi for 2 weeks was a hard fight to give it to,
but he was feeling better and acting better, so not worried. Over the weekend
of the 4th he started losing weight and acting like he felt ad. Took to Dr
XXX with Shadow on the 5th. She said the "growth" was bigger and we needed to
do surgery, set up for Friday the 8th. So I stated out of work Friday (had
been sick all week anyway) and took him in for his surgery. They sent me home,
it was going to be hours (several surgeries sch). I told them to call me and
I would come back. Dr. XXX called me when she cut him open, the "growth"
was a tumor that was encasing the blood supply for his intestines and he had
already started bleeding from it, he could live but not for long and would be in
pain. I had to give the OK for him to never wakeup, it was one of the hardest
things I have ever had to do, but I could not let him suffer in anyway.
So now we only have 7 ferrets with us. And 5 at the bridge.
Robin and the fuzzy dumpling gang
[Moderator's Note: vet and hospital names can be mentioned as recommendations,
but not in conjunction with a case. That became necessary because some vets
wanted their privacy, others can speak more freely not knowing who is treating, and
one vet was harassed by a member who thought -- incorrectly -- that he/she knew
more than the vet on how to treat the case.
Reminder to members: sympathy messages that don't contain health content
should be sent directly by selecting the person's name at the website, or address
from the e-mails]