From:
"US7"
Date: 2006-03-07 01:22:01 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] very sad situation
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
I know it's very hard to know when to let your ferret go. But you can't take polls to
make that decision, really. In the end, it comes down to you.
I will tell you a story. Take from it what you will.
I worked as a vet tech for a very short while. The end of my career came when we
were set to do exploratory surgery on a terrier. The dog could not hold it's urine,
and the owners wanted to find out why. Literally, about 10 minutes before the
surgery, the owners called to tell us to just euthanize the dog. They didn't want to
come get the body or have anything further to do with the dog at that point. They
were no longer interested in what was wrong with the dog. To them, the dog had
become a liability. They wanted no more pissed-on carpets. The dog was an older
dog, so I'm guessing they must have had him for a while - not that that meant
anything.
We did the exploratory, anyways, and found out the dog had bladder cancer. With
bladder cancer, it is no wonder the dog was incontinent. My vet was a very good vet
and wanted to learn from the experience. That was the last useful purpose that the
terrier ever served - not as an old and faithful companion, but as a medical learning
experience. The owners never knew, however, nor did they really want to know. The
dog's body went into the freezer and it was taken to wherever Animal Control takes
the bodies of dead animals, probably to the dump.
I quit my job as a vet tech. It wasn't just that incident. Many people would euthanize
their animals, sometimes for no tangible reason at all. At the time, my thinking was
that I didn't want to be a part of a "pet disposal service." I am lots older now, and
have the maturity to see the big picture and the value of the occupation. I have more
compassion for the plight of both people and animals. But for many years that
incident put a very bad taste in my mouth. It is one I have never forgotten.
Roary
Albuquerque, NM
blog - http://ferretphilosophy.blogspot.com/
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