Amber Patterson <[log in to unmask] wrote:
>This "vet" gave him the injection in his abdomen..  thinking the "vet"
>knew what he was doing I didn't think anything of it.  I bought my baby
>home to bury him next to his other ferret friends and his kitten.  I had
>to go to work, so I left him in a box wrapped in his favorite blanket (my
>favorite shirt.)  I got home 8 hours later..  and he was out of the box..
>breathing.  Needless to say I was hysterical.  He died in my arms about
>half an hour later.  My mom tells me he was just waiting for me to come
>home to say goodbye.
 
Hi Amber,
 
I know how much losing one of these little guys hurts.  I lost my first
ferret, Gidget, just a year ago, on 3/25/01, followed by Teddy on 10/2/01
and BJ on 12/20/01.  It never gets any easier.
 
I euthanized all three to end their suffering.  All three were given an
injection in their belly and all three passed peacefully within 5 minutes
on my lap.  I go to a very experienced ferret vet, too.  I had another
ferret euthanized several years ago, and that vet injected it directly
into her heart.  Based upon that experience, I think that the belly
injection is the best choice of the two.
 
I don't understand why your little guy was still alive 8 hours later.
Maybe the vet didn't administer a high enough dose?  Maybe there's a
target area that needs to be hit and he missed?  My vet always checks for
a heartbeat before pronouncing them.  Did he bother to check?
 
My little friends are always cremated, so they don't come home with me.  I
can't imagine how that must of felt to find him like that.  I'm so sorry.
 
Dee
[Posted in FML issue 3745]