Back in dec of 1999 I took my beloved Mr. Peanut to a vet that was
recommened to me as being ferret knowledgeable, I had seen him many years
before when he used to work in my town.  Mr. Peanut was the ferret in
Modern Ferret issue #22 on the second page in the wooden swing title read
"play Ferret"
 
Mr. Peanut was about 7 years old and had just started losing hair around
his shoulders and was lethargic.
 
Upon physical examination the vet noticed a mass in Peanut's abdomen.  I
had only though he was adrenal.  The vet suggested bloodwork and x-rays.
He siad he would "slightly sedate" Peanut for the procedure and he would
be back to normal ina few hours due to his age.
 
They took Peanut off for his xray and bloodwork and told me to return in
an hour.
 
When I returned Peanut was out like a lite and cold as ice.  The vet said
he would come around.  I had also called the vet the next day and spoke to
him saying Peanut was still cold and wouldn't wake up.  He just said give
it time.
 
Initially when first arriving at his office the vet checked Peanut's heart
and said it sounded just fine.
 
Well Peanut never fully woke up.  I tried feeding him duck soup through a
syringe and fluids and a medicine the doctor gave me to stop his itching.
 
As the days past Peanut got worse.  Never woke onhis own and when he was
awake(if I woke him myself and picked him up) he was not fully there and
unable to stand.  About 5 days later I took Peanut to another vet.  Peanut
had lost alot more hair and was very very thin.
 
I knew it was too late.  he detected a heart murmor in Peanut that had not
been there during the first other vet's visit.  While Peanut was laying
on the exam table he soiled himself and his feces was all bloody.  It was
decided that it was time to help Peanut over Rainbow Bridge.  The second
vet siad that sometimes sedation in older ferrets could cause heart
murmors.  Up until his visit to the first vet Peanut was playful and
eating.  Just sleeping alittle too much and itchy, plus the small hair
loss between the shoulders.  Which the first vet siad was not a sign of
adrenal tumor.
 
I don't quite remeber what the xray showed but I remeber the bloodwork
came back all normal cbc and chem.
 
I never raised this issue but my mother told the vet what happened to
Peanut about a month later when they had their dog their for a visit.
The vet made no comment.
 
I paid my bill in full which was around $500.  This had also included
xray/bloodwork an Flea.  Which I later took to yet another vet and he
diagnosed adrenal just from the symptoms and started her on Lupron.  She
is doing much better now.  The first vet had just said to bring Flea back
in when there was more hairloss.  I had been bringing Flea to this vet for
about 1 year suspecting she was sadrenal due to swollen vulva.  I believe
the bill also included a distemper or rabies vaccine for Peanut.
 
I was and still am too ashamed of my trusting n the vet to question what
happened.  I will never go back to him.  I don't want to post any names
here but if you e-mail me I will give you the vet's names so you can choose
to go to them or not.  But please do not harrass or mention this incident
to him.  He has always been good to me in the past.  I just think he made
a mistake.
 
The vet's I am speaking about are in NJ,USA.
 
The second vet I went to did not charge me anything for the exam or
euthination.  I just paid for the private creamation.
 
Corrie(msferret)
 
This vet is listed in the recommended vets at Ferret Central.  I have
though of asking to have him removed from that list.  Should I?
 
Corrie
The Ferrets~Satchmo.Band-Aid,Flea,Garbonzetta,Zoey and Podo~
The Cat Misty
Visit us at http://www.ferretsdook.com
Visit my Favorite Shelter http://www.kistaferret.com
Check out what I'm selling on eBay 10% of winning bid goes to Kista
Ferret Rescue
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/msferret/
[Posted in FML issue 3120]