Last Thursday, our shelter received a call for a ferret, who was ill, to be
picked up.  A couple surrendered her due to the fact that they could not
afford medical care.  The husband was employed, but the wife was presently
on cancer treatments and so cannot work.
 
As we got the papers filled out, we were shocked to find out that this
little ferret has had blood in her stool, maybe urine, for at least a
month, off and on, and maybe longer.  They could not find a single vet
who would take a payment plan, and so they took the risky option of
seeing if this would just go away.  It didn't.
 
This little female, over 6 years old, was allowed to be in pain for this
duration...
 
The findings... left adrenal was removed as it was discoloured and did
not look healthy; a large mass was found off of a kidney and was removed
as well; a black piece of hard plastic, probably from a toy of some sort,
was found in her stomach.
 
The mass off the kidney turned out to be a third adrenal gland.
 
Her first few days were a little touch and go, but since then, she is
making a slow, but steady recovery.  We are so glad that she is alive.
 
When the couple was told what she had, they seemed happy that she survived
and wanted her back.  A $700 vet bill had been incurred in the meantime as
surgery is not cheap, but they were only interested in having her home and
not paying for her surgery.  In our eyes this was not an option.  As far as
we could see, a basic care requirement was not met and by not taking her to
a vet, this little girl could have died.  Our shelter director explained
that toys have to be maintained and checked often.  She also recommended
that ferrets not be allowed access to certain things as the danger
potential is too great.  They seemed genuinely shocked at having to limit
the toys that she would be allowed to play with.  They refused to do so.
This indicated to us that the potential for a ferret to ingest yet another
piece of toy or object in their household was high.
 
I feel for this couple who appeared to have loved this ferret but have now
lost their baby.  But I know though that their priorities were not in line
for having a ferret.  They had enough money to get drunk (which the husband
was by the time we got there) and they had plenty of money for cigarettes
(which were being chained smoked).  No one has to do without, but putting
aside a little money here and there goes a long way to keeping a ferret
healthy and happy.
 
This time we managed to save one, and for this we are grateful.  Next time,
we may not be so lucky.
 
If you have a ferret that is sick and you cannot afford medical care,
please, please, PLEASE do the right thing and surrender it to the nearest
ferret shelter.  The ferret's chances of surviving are greater with people
who are familiar with ferret illnesses.  I also urge you not to run out and
get another ferret.
 
Otherwise, learn from this and put money aside NOW.  No matter who you
are or what your circumstances are, everyone can afford to put something
away for a rainy day.  You owe it to your ferrets.  No one feels good
about having to take away a beloved member of a family.  Nor does it feel
good to have to make the decision to give one up.
 
Preventative Medicine and Financial Planning. Need I say more?
 
Betty and Her Blur O'Fur
For the love of ferrets... Missing Taero
[Posted in FML issue 3173]