>Sukie said:
>It's often best to skip ultrasounds and [do] Surgery, [which] is
>typically the best approach by a very, very wide margin
 
Mark replies:
 
Sandy is very sick - she crashed again today and I was sure she was going
to pass on.  She VOMITED the medicine back at me... and at that moment I
realized that sometimes there is nothing we can do.  Strangely enough, I
put some caro syrup on her lips and let her alone for 3 hours, and she
came back from the dead, and took her meds with pretty much no problem
after... it is almost like she made a choice, and needed the time on her
own to decide.
 
You need to understand that I would do anything for my weasel and am
simply listening to my vet's consultation that surgery is not an option
yet for her.  I would 3rd mortgage my house and do anything short of
sacrificing another ferret for Sandy's health back.  The doctor claims
that they got an EXTREMELY clear image of her internal organs and found
nothing to indicate a tumor yet... I almost wish he found something
because then we would have a TARGET to attack.  I realize we are treating
symptoms and not the disease.
 
I am going in next Tuesday for a consult, and will be discussing the
surgical option again.  We have discussed taking out a chunk of her
pancreas to try to get lucky and get the bad part... but if the cause is
truly microscopic, or spread throughout her little body, alas, it would
be merely a waste of time and put the animal through undue stress.  I
also will ask the doctor to refer to an expert in these matters...but I
feel this vet knows his stuff...
 
All the medical technology might not put this little egg shell together
again, I fear... in any event, she is 4 years 5 months old, and is in
good spirits when she is feeling well, and that is all anybody can hope
for.
 
I had a heart procedure 2 years ago and can tell you that it gets VERY
OLD VERY QUICK having people taking care of you, and I understand her
purging the medicine back at me as if to say, "daddy, I've had enough and
you should let me go now... "
 
But I wouldn't give up the experience of having her in my life for
anything...I still remember the day at the little pet store in West
Virginia when she found me.
 
Mark H
[Posted in FML issue 3848]