To All:
 
I have to disagree with the opinions expressed by M.R.S. for many reasons.
There is no reason to think that allowing a ferret to express its wishes
regarding treatment - or lack thereof- should result in people using this
as an excuse not to provide veterinary care.  For one thing, the services
of an Animal Communicator aren't free!  And, anyone who would go to the
effort to use one is likely to have the best interests of the ferret at
heart.
 
Further, the potential for people to misuse something is no reason for
the rest of us not to use it discuss it.  For instance, I think it is
likely that people who rely solely on melatonin instead of lupron are
doing their ferrets a disservice, but it happens all the time, and I
don't say that we shouldn't discuss how to use melatonin.
 
I think that we should try to do all that we can to understand how a
course of treatment will affect a ferret as a whole being, not just the
immediate outcome.  Many people have posted over the years saying that
their ferrets had long periods of depression after surgery, that they
were never the same.  Perhaps if the purpose of the surgery could have
been explained, then the ferret would have understood and the outcome
would have been better; an animal communicator might be able to help
explain what's going on.  An Animal Communicator actually helped one
of my ferrets -- she didn't want to take her medicine -- and the A.C.
explained why she had to take it, and from then on, she did take it
without a single fuss.
 
But even if you look squarely at the worst case scenario - that some
ferrets would rather die sooner than have surgery or long, unpleasant
medical interventions - what is our *real* problem with that?  Why is it
so hard?  For me, that idea is like a kick in the stomach.  I think that
we have the underlying view that maximizing a ferret's life span is
always the best thing.  Well, who is it best for?
 
Of course, it's better for US to maximize their lifespan, because the
pain of loss is so terrible that we instinctively want to avoid it.  And,
having surgery or other medical intervention makes us feel like we're
"doing" something, like we are having some control over the disease or
disorder that is threatening to cause us pain through the loss of our
pet, and like we are having some control, ultimately, over death.
 
But, is the treatment always best for the ferret?  When the ferret has no
"voice," it's easy to think the answer is yes.  When the ferret can say
"no," it creates a problem.  Now, with an animal communicator, we have
evidence that the ferrets' wishes may not always coincide with ours!  And
then what do we do?  This is uncharted territory for us, and it's hard.
Nobody is saying it's easy!
 
But I will tell you all that the single hardest thing I have EVER had to
do in 10 years of owning ferrets was NOT take extraordinary measures to
try to save/prolong the life of a terminally ill ferret.  This ferret
had always despised any kind of medical treatment, even if the medicine
tasted nice, or if it was relatively painless.  She fought it on
principle.  I had to come home to her every day, and see her grow weaker
and weaker, and respect her wishes not to have major medical intervention
(we just gave her painkillers).  She always absolutely despised any sort
of medication, or medical treatment.  For what it's worth, my vet (who
also knew this ferret very well) *fully* supported my decision.
 
I am NOT saying that people should not provide vet care.  Anyone who
knows me will tell you that I have never spared any expense to provide
the vet care I felt was in the ferrets' best interest.  And it's not like
we should allow their answers to dictate our lives!  They *might* want us
to quit our jobs and feed them rasins all day, and we sure can't do that.
I AM saying that if you believe that ferrets have wishes and desires and
wills that you should CONSIDER their wishes when making decisions - any
decisions - that will irrevocably alter their lives.  This makes our
lives harder, more complicated.  But how can anyone say it's wrong?
 
Melissa Ince
[Posted in FML issue 4083]