From:
Yeagermeisters@aol.com
Date: 2008-04-12 12:47:39 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] 15 month old w/serious problems
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I had written in a week ago about my 15 month old, Barney, who was losing
hair, we did a melatonin implant and benadryl was given for the itching, too.
A nodule under 1 arm cropped up 6 days later and so we began a treatment with
amoxicillin.
Through the week Barney developed breathing problems and could only lay down
flat. No energy and stopped eating on his own. We took him to our vet
yesterday to do an exploratory. Xrays were taken first. A huge mass covered the
lungs, spleen, liver and body cavity. There was no air in the lungs and his
air came from 2 pockets from somewhere. There was no fluid anywhere, just
mass. He did a necropsy and juvenile lymphoma was confirmed. We were told he
would probably have probably only a few days to survive due to the rapid
growth, so we helped him cross the Rainbow Bridge.
I think our vet was really surprised how fast this all happened. We had no
signs of anything, except itching. I didn't even know that was a sign.
Thought for sure it was an adrenal problem. The vet even took pictures of the
size of the growth to send to his daughter who's in vet school, and will send
me pictures, too. Barney was a nipper sometimes. I wonder if that would of
been a sign something was wrong.
Barney had a sad life. He sat in a pet store for 8 months. One of my "so
called ferret friends" took him in for 2 weeks and then returned him. When I
found out, I worked with the manager for a discount, and bought him. He had
almost given up that he was going to get a home. Ferrets usually scramble to
get to a hand that is trying to pick a ferret up from the cage. Barney just
sat and waited to be picked up. I couldn't believe that a 'ferret person'
would return him after he had already been at a pet store or so long. I just
couldn't stand it. I had quit going to that pet store because they have
ferrets.
He was my sweetheart. I called him Barney Trouble. He was smart, too. He
knew his name. He was only in my life for 7 months and I'm so sorry that he
had to have so many problems in his last days. We did the right thing, but
it's just so sad that he's gone. Who would of expected such a young ferret to
have to go so early.
Juvenile lymphoma is such a nasty thing. Even though Barney wasn't eating
much, he still weighed 3 lbs., which was what he weighed 10 days earlier.
Guess that tumor must of added the weight he lost, because his ribs were
starting to stick out a little and he was a little dehydrated.
Thanks for listening. I'm still grieving for him. He took a large piece of
my heart, but I just know that he's healthy once again. Having to go
through this makes you wonder if having ferrets is worth it. But then one of my
little carpet sharks runs over the top of my feet and I can't keep from
thinking that it would be too hard not to have them. This is my 3rd loss in 2
months. One had insulinoma and the other was a possible spleen rupture. Pooh
Bear, the possible spleen problem was a very fast one, too. He died in my arms
on Easter Sunday about 20 minutes after we got back from a family gathering.
We had to help Andre' cross over the bridge, too.
Here's to you Barney Trouble, Pooh Bear, and Andre'! You will always be in
my soul.
Connie Yeager
yeagermeisters@aol.com
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