Hi Ferret folks
 
I am in the process of rescuing a little girl who was surrendered to our
local pet store.  This little girl needs your prayers and good thoughts,
Here is her story.
 
I got a call on Monday from our local pet store staff.  His name is Mike
and he asked if he could buy some of my duck soup.  He said they had a
little ferret surrendered by a Grandmother, whose grandchildren were
ignoring the pet ferret.  I have no idea how old the children are!  The
ferrets I was told is 3 years old, didn't know if it was male or female
and it was really thin.  They thought it was being fed cheap cat food.  In
fact they were told that it wouldn't eat ferret food and that the food that
they bought was the only food it would eat.  The pet store staff (Mike and
Phil) thought it wasn't offered anything else.  Anyway I took some duck
soup over and took a quick look at it.  What I saw almost reduced me to
tears.  "It" is a very tiny female, and very thin.  She looked alert
enough, but her stools looked rather dark and a bit on the loose side.  She
is adorable, friendly and so very kissy.  The minute I picked her up she
was liking my face.  It was almost as if she knew that I was the right
person to butter up.<G>  I was late for a meeting so I left very quickly,
vowing to return on Tues. to check on her went back and she was taking the
duck soup but not well.  The guys had put some ferret food in with her cat
food, but she obviously preferred the cat food.  While I was there she had
the most horrible dark green watery poop.  I was quick to tell Jason (store
owner) that she needed to see a vet and soon.  Jason really hesitates to
put money out on anything without getting returns for his investment and
was certain a vet visit would cost at least $75.  He was asking $150 for
her and the cage that came with her.  I went home that night and couldn't
get the little girl out of my mind.  I called my vet's emergency pager and
left a message saying that it wasn't an emergency but I would like to speak
to her about a pet store ferret.  She called me right back and I described
the little girl.  Of course it is difficult to diagnose over the phone, so
we decided that Dr. Cathy should see her on Wed.
 
I had pretty much decided that I would take the little one to my vet even
if I had to pay the bill myself.  No I'm not rich, but I knew the sweet
little thing needed help.  The next big hurdle was to convince Jason that
she should go.  I assured Jason that I would pay the bill and if I decided
to "buy" her we could work out a deal of some kind.  If I decided not to
take her home, I would still pay the bill because I felt very strongly
about her need for medical attention.
 
Dr. Cathy did a fecal exam, an ear swab and a physical exam.  She weighed
in at 1.2 lbs., which was a surprise to me.  By the way she looked I
thought she would b under a lb.  From the looks of her teeth, Dr. Cathy
confirms her age to be about 3 years.  She has ear mite eggs.  a
helicobacter infection and probably stomach ulcers from the stress of being
ill.  She is also badly nourished from not eating.  Her little nose is very
pale which is a pretty good indication that she is anemic.  She is now on
2 antibiotics for 14 days and pepto bismal.  She definitely needs to be
isolated from other ferrets until her poops are normal.  My SO and I are
breaking up and he is moving out tomorrow, I will have a private room for
her.  I hated to leave her at the pet store overnight, but I could not
justify putting my own at risk.  First thing tomorrow I will go and get
her.  Mike and Phil think Jason will probably turn her over to me for
nothing, because she will end up costing him too much in the long run.
He knows he can't sell a sick ferret and it seems it will be awhile before
she is well.
 
I told the guys to suggest to Jason...if he takes ferrets in, he should
insist that the person surrendering the ferret should provide a recent
medical certificate proving the good health of the ferret.  Especially if
he didn't want to incur costs out of his own pocket.  The ferret was
already extremely ill when the people gave her up, or should I say "dumped
her".  The guys told me that when the lady "dropped the ferret off' Jason
didn't even look at her.  She was in a nesting box, inside the cage.  You
would think he would have sense enough to check her out before he agreed to
take her.  I bet he will from now on.  When the vet's office was getting
the info on her, they asked me her name and I had to say I don't know, and
jokingly said she was Jane Doe.  I was amused to see that on her medicine
bottles they put her down as Miss Doe St.  Germain.  Now I need to think
of a good name for her.  A name that tells how very fragile she is, or has
some meaning as to the way she came to me.  Daisy...fragile and pretty as a
flower.  OR should I pick up on the "doe" side of it and call her Bambi.
There is no doubt in my mind that she will be a permanent fixture in my
home and the thanks to Wayne she will have a private room for awhile.
Please pray for her complete and speedy recovery.
 
Your Pal Sal
[Posted in FML issue 3316]