Thank you to the large number of people who sent emails, condolences,
cards and advice on the deaths of my last 2 ferrets, Mr Snickers and
Puffin.  And heartfelt tears go out to those of you who have also lost
your babies.  It had looked like (and still may be) that the ferrets,
(BJ,Cody, Mr Snickers and Puffin) and the cat (Bingo), were victims of
carbon monoxide poisoning.  As you may remember, my aide and myself were
also sick until after the windows were opened.  I did as most of you
suggested....got a carbon monoxide detector..it has not gone off.  I
thought the nightmare was over.  But as I sit here typing this, I have
BJ's sister Punkin in my lap.  She is also dying and will not rest easy
unless I hold her in my lap or lie next to her.  She was in to the vet's
last week for hind leg stiffness and because i suspected she had gone
blind.  (When did your world go dark Punky and Mommy didn't notice?)He
said she had severe arthritis in her hips and knees and yes, she was
blind...seeing only marginally out of the one eye.  She also has
gingivitis.  He was concerned that she was losing weight..weighed only
13 oz.  She can't eat A/D for some reason..it gives her diaherria.  Said
to try to bulk her up..and it's only the hindquareters that looked like
she had lost weight..from the waist up, she looks normal.  For a few days,
she did better...I did the leg excercises he showed me and her legs didn't
seem as stiff, I gave her her antiobiotic for her gingivitis.  Then pow,
the legs got worse and worse..no longer stiff legged, but splaying all
over the place and curling her toes under when even attempting to stand.
I have still tried to force feed her but she is resisting it or drooling
it back out.  The last couple days I've noticed the same seemingly
neurological symptoms I saw with the others...the head weaving and
bobbing, seemingly unable to hold it still, the inability to stand and
then falling on the side and pedaling the feet (no, not a seizure..I'm not
describing this too well)More pedalling to try to stand and can't.  The
poops are darkening again..I also noticed a personality shift with all of
them also.  Punkin was always very independent..the matriarch (almost 8).
Now she seems very "needy".  She will NOT sleep or rest the last couple
days unless I hold her.  I even put her in the carrier last night and had
it next to the bed where i could keep my hand in there.  She was still
restless..she wanted to be physically beside me.  She won"t open her eyes
but she is aware I'm here.
 
From what I've read, the effects of CO poisoning can be permanent.  Since
she is displaying the same identical "end stage" symptoms as the others,
I think it's that.  Arthritis, gingivitis and blindness certainly don't
kill you!  Or..am i missing something here?  The vet said he could feel
no tumors of any kind on exam.  She has displayed no signs of adrenal,
insulinoma, etc.  A couple people wondered about ADV.  But she has been
in contact with no new ferrets.  My youngest is 5.  Could she carry the
disease for THAT long?  (she did bring giardia into the household when i
got her..we all got it, even the cat.) I read up on what little I could
find on ADV and some of the symptoms fit....but not all.
 
I am going to ask the vet if he will do a necropsy...I need to know...
especially when he has said on the last 3 that he didn't know what
happened.  Don't know if he'll do it or not as I owe him a bundle for Mr
Snickers and Puffin.
 
Punkin will be going in Monday to see him...if she makes it till then.
The other question I have, a friend brought it up..is could they have
picked up something from the cat litter?  I had bought this brand for a
long time (a supermarket brand) and had no problems.  With this last
batch, it kept getting stuck in the girls' privates and on Mr Snickers
rear end.  I stopped using it and just put newspaper in there and they
used that.  My friend wondered if maybe there could have been some kind
of microbe or something in the litter?  I did mention this to the vet on
Punkin's visit last week and he thought unlikely.
 
I am moving July 12..I seriously wonder if I'll have my other 2 left to
move with.  I feel like I'm having a really, really bad dream and i'm
more than ready to wake up now.
 
Please say a prayer for them---Punkin, Sweetpea and Hopkin.
[Posted in FML issue 3830]