After nearly 6 years of licensed sheltering there is always one who pushes
the limits and slips away.  This seems to be so with Sterling....
 
Our week and a half old rescue / abandoned - stray Sterling needs some
prayers.  He has not responded to date to treatments etc.  Sterling was
found wandering the premises of a local nursery- digging at the black
plastic in search of water.  When he arrived at Ferret Wise a week ago
last Monday at ferret Wise he was eating some kibble and drinking- he
passed one normal stool and then went into decline .
 
Sterling continues to decline and has gone down hill since then.  Today he
has a prolapsed rectum, will not fight amoxy, carafate or the 3 days dosing
of panacur, but he won't even take nutrical.  I am exasperated as one can
imagine.Sterling will drink water though remains dehydrated -- so we start
now the sub q fluids several times daily.  Shelter Dad drive home at noon
to assist with sub q fluids, we dared not wait.  Sterling is pale and his
slight yellow tone suggests a liver dysfunction, though in his condition
the vet waived trying to draw blood at Monday's appointment.
 
After 10 days not a single call to police, animal shelter or ferret shelter
to report him missing-- clearly suggesting abandonment.  I have tried to
date 13 possible foods-- none of which he will eat..  so now I force duck
soup through clenched jaws.
 
Today the phone is answered by machine- I must work with Sterling, no
consulting of behavior problems, no referrals for vet care today is for
Sterling.  Hospice homes will have to wait one more day for me to deal
with our 23 hospice cases-- Sterling needs this time and the effort.
 
Realistically-- a shelter can only handle so many of these in any given
day-- the vet checked in by phone on her day off today-- if need be we will
be back there again tomorrow-- I hope he gains the will to live and starts
taking food-- changing residence at 3 plus years of age is a terribly
painful things for pet ferrets--- as well as those of us who care for them.
I hope owners and caretakers will ponder Sterlings fate-- when it is their
turn for life to show them a choice of paths.  For Sterling there is no
choice- he was left behind.  He did not ask to be purchased, did not ask
for love and bonding, and certainly did not ask to be dumped on the
roadside.  Now Sterling needs to find the will to live without those he
loved.  I will fight this fight with Sterling -- but only for Sterling--
not those who broke his heart!
 
alicia
for the many faces of Ferret Wise who embrace Sterling
visit our site and understand the mission:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html
 
View the fund raiser catalog pages at:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/funalia.html
 
Visit iGive where a click can help us save a ferrets life
http://www/iGive.com/ferretwise
[Posted in FML issue 3097]