It is with heavy heart that I tell you about a wonderful little girl we
had at our shelter.
 
You see...Oggie and Moonie came in from a city near us.  Their owner just
didn't have the time to spend with them and Oggie needed Adrenal Surgery.
She couldn't afford it and wanted Oggie and Moonie to have more time out
to play than she could give.  She was a wonderful owner who loved them
far too much to watch them sit in their cage.
 
Oggie was 5 years old.  She was on lupron shots for 5 months because the
owner couldn't afford surgery for her.  We got her from the owner about
2-3 weeks ago.
 
Oggie went in for surgery July 23.  At 1 pm the vet said she was doing ok
and the surgery went fine.
 
At about 4:15 pm I got a call from my vet.  Oggie started to go down
hill.  She was bleeding from her rectum and could not move her back legs.
She was cold and stiff.  They were giving her fluids and wanted to keep
her over night.  They do not have anyone there over night at the clinic
and would only check on her a couple times during the night so I opted to
bring her home.
 
I cried when I saw her.  Just so still and cold.  The vet explained what
happened.
 
Her left adrenal glad was 7 times the size it should have been and the
right one was about half of it's normal size.  Her spleen was enlarged a
little.  When she removed the left one it just pretty much fell apart.
 
They wrapped up her stomach to try to stop the bleeding that was
happening.  They also had her in a blanket and laying on a heating pad.
She was bleeding some from her rectum
 
We took her home, feed her some soup and some water and gave her some
antibiotics.  She just laid there.  I was holding her and she moved her
front legs and adjusted herself on my arm.  She gave me kisses.  Then
about 2 minutes later bit and latched on to my arm.  Took bitter apple to
get her off.  Yep, hurt but I was more concerned with her.  She bit cause
it hurt...and I know that...actually I was happy to see her move!
 
At about 10 pm we called the vet.  Oggie was bleeding from her rectum
and didn't seem to be doing ok.  The vet said that as long as she was
drinking we were ok.  Her back legs were still cold and she couldn't move
them.  The vet explained that it could be something that will go away
after she heals or it could be a spinal cord problem.  We will have to
wait and see on that one.  But they did treat it.  The vet also looked
for signs of cancer but didn't see any (that is how we lost Zorro...
Lymphoma)
 
At about 11 pm we gave her some pain killers to help her sleep.  All she
would do is stare.  She needed rest.  She went to sleep.
 
Wednesday morning when we got up (though up most the night checking on
her) she hadn't moved and was awake and kinda crying.  She didn't sleep
in a cage either.  She was in a little tent on the floor in the bedroom
with a heating pad under her.  She wouldn't drink or eat.  She seemed to
be in more pain and had labored breathing.  She also sounded like there
was fluid in her lungs.  So, off to the vet we went.
 
The vet said she lost a little more blood than she had hoped however she
didn't bleed from her incision - which was good.  Her spleen is no longer
enlarged either, another good sign.  Her lungs seemed clear.
 
We did explain to the vet that after we got her we noticed a "bruise" on
her stomach.  It appeared about 2 days after she came here.  We figured
it was from climbing around things, she just got bruised (she had no
contact with other ferrets - except her cage mate).  It went away the
next day.  Then on Saturday another one appeared on her butt.  It also
went away the next day.  Well, the vet said that was her having problems
clotting.
 
The vet said that believes that the lupron shots only hid the problem and
allowed the adrenal gland to grow.  ... at least that is what happened
with Oggie.
 
I called the vet at about 11 am.  When the vet came on I didn't expect
what she told me.  She just got back from Oggie.  They had gotten the IV
in her and she was getting fluids.  Then she had a seizure.  They gave
her medicine to control the seizure and she seemed to be doing ok.  The
vet had just checked on her and she had a large about of stool (blood).
While she was there her heart stopped...they couldn't get her back.
 
How could this happen?  We just lost Zorro from Lymphoma July 2.  This
was not right!  We only have 3 in the shelter!  This is not fair.
 
Shawn and I went and picked her up.  She was wrapped in her blankie.  I
barely made it out the door with her in my arms before I collapsed.  I
couldn't stop crying.  This was not how is was going to go.  She was
going to get better.  She was going to pull through.  Her previous owner
trusted her baby with me.  Oggie was now my baby.  What happened?  Why
her too?  So what if she bit!  She was a good girl.  The morning before
surgery she was up playing and dooking around.
 
Shawn drove home and I held Oggie.  I talked to her the whole way home.
I stroked her hair and held her paw.  When we got home I took her to my
room to lay on my bed with her until Shawn was done making her tube
coffin.  Moonie was able to say her good-byes and understood what had
happened.  And then...she got down from the bed and bounced around
dooking and jumping!
 
He sketched her name and information on her tube.  Then he took her
blanket and lined the PVC tub with it.  When it was time he said his
goodbyes to her (I had said mine already) and he placed her in her tube.
He covered her up with the other part of the blanket and put a stuffed
teddy bear that my niece had given her, and treats in a plastic egg.
 
I read the story of the Rainbow bridge to her and then we placed her in
her resting spot beside Zorro.
 
Later in the evening I called her previous mom to let her know.  That was
the hardest phone call I have ever had to make.  Nancy, I am sorry....
 
Sandee...please help Oggie find Zorro at the Rainbow Bride.  They never
met but I am sure they will be best friends.  Oggie had another cage mate
that died of JL a long time ago.  Please help her find her....I do not
remember her name.  Oggie loved raisins.  And she loved to jump into
plastic bags and play.  Oh how she loved shoes!
 
Oggie, I am sorry.  I am so sorry for all that you had to endure your
last couple weeks.  Both of your mommies love you so much.  You mommy of
4 years will never forget watching you grow up, and having you lay on her
shoulder while she walked through the house.  And you mommy of 3 weeks
will always remember how special you were and how you always seemed to
find me no matter how quiet I was.  Moonie will miss you so much.  I will
take care of her for you just as she had taken care of you.
 
Joanne
Ferret Corner Shelter
www.geocities.com/ferretcorneraz
[Posted in FML issue 3855]