Hi, everyone,
 
This is excerpted from a post I made in repsonse to a thread on the TriFL
(Triangle, NC Ferret Lovers) list.  For those of you who just can't
resist adding another cute fuzzy to your business, think about this:
 
>Well, Caity, that makes *how* many of the original business that now
>has been hit by another expensive diagnosis?
 
Four out of eight.  The thing is, two of them have had multiple problems.
Here is the rundown so far:
 
-Tenchi, 3 yo male (MF):  nothing serious
-Adric: 2.5 yo male (MF): nothing serious
-Kerr Avon 2.5 yo male (MF):  adrenal adenoma at 1.5 yo (total cost
 about $600)
-Ryo-Ohki 2.5 yo female (MF): anal gland abscess at 1 yo (cost about
 $170), adrenal at 2,5 yo (surgery pending)
-Nyssa 2.5 yo female (Animals Exotique): intestinal blockage at 4 mos
 old (total cost about $350)
-Lady Ayeka 2.5 yo female (MF): nothing serious
-Pertwee 2.5 yo albino male (HHH): left adrenal carcinoma at 1.5 yo,
 right adrenal carcinoma before age 2, polycystic kidney causing severe
 pain at 2 yo, possible insulinoma at 2.5 yo (total so far $4,300 and
 pending surgery)
-Romana 2 yo female (HHH): never sick a day in her life
 
Brreders: MF= Marshall Farms, HHH=Triple H Farms
 
We also had three reactions to rabies shots severe enough to warrant a trip
to the Emergency Clinic of Cary even after Dr. Hudson had treated them.
Nyssa had the most severe type of reaction, actually went into shock and
could have died.
 
FWIW, I know a couple of TriFL members who have spent way more than we
have.
 
Ferret medical expenses for Keith and I this year were just short of
$6,000.  2001 doesn't look any better.  On January 17th both Pertwee and
Ryo-Ohki go back to see Dr. Dan Hudson.  At that time I expect he'll make
decisions about when to go ahead with Pertwee's exploratory/insulinoma
surgery and Ryo-Ohki's adrenal surgery.
 
Oh, and yes, I know this is Pertwee's fourth surgery.  He had seven
great happy and healthy months between the nephrectomy and the onset of
insulinoma symptoms.  I am obviously hoping to buy him a whole lot more
good time than that this next time around.
 
I am not posting this to make myself seem like a martyr or something.  I
am posting this to urge all of you to think twice before deciding whether
or not you can afford to bring home that cute kit.
 
I hope everyone has a great new year!
 
Best,
Caity and the exuberant eight
[Posted in FML issue 3284]