I don't post here much but still read the FML with some regularity as I
have over the past dozen years or more.
 
Our last ferret, Penny, went in Friday morning for major surgery and
we knew the risk was high, but we were very hopeful of a good outcome.
Sadly, it was not to be.  She had just turned 7 on December 15, 2004, and
I thought for sure she was going to be my one ferret that lived for 8 or
9 years.  She had been healthy throughout her life, though she did have
adrenal surgery 5 years ago.  There was no insulinoma as yet, which was
a first for any of mine.
 
Several weeks ago, she had a wheezing, coughing fit that only lasted
for a few coughs, but didn't sound good.  Then she peed a light green
so it was off to the vet we went.  All bloodwork was normal, but I had
x-rays done and there were some suspicious things going on.  We did an
ultrasound and found a 2.5 cm mass by her right kidney and a huge spleen
that had abnormal areas on it.  We had a fine needle aspirate done,
guided by ultrasound to make sure we sampled the odd areas of her
spleen.  Of course my vet mentioned the dreaded "L" word (lymphoma)
as a possibility.  As it turned out, it was "just" extramedullary
hematopoiesis.  An enlarged spleen, no lymphoma.
 
Amazingly, through all this, she remained 100% with her litter box.  She
was such a good little girl and never missed and refused to go anywhere
else even as sick as she was.  I had to build a ramp with stacked up
towels both into and out of her cage, because that's where her litter
box was, and darn it, that's where she wanted it to stay.  The doorway
was a little too high in her condition, but she struggled to get in and
out until I made the ramps.
 
We put her on a few meds and I was feeding her regularly as she quickly
went off her regular food and surgery was scheduled.  I knew it was risky
but she wasn't going to get better by doing nothing and no meds would
make this go away.  In the last week, she had gotten worse.  Feeding
became a battle and she did nothing but sleep when I wasn't torturing her
with food or meds.
 
My vet took out her spleen and the mass and all other organs looked
perfect.  She did real well during surgery.  Unfortunately, she arrested
during recovery.  I'm in total shock.  I knew it was risky but I also
knew she was a tough little girl and I though for sure I'd be bringing
her home.  We don't know for sure what happened.  Her little heart,
which had a grade 2 murmur and was somewhat odd shaped, just couldn't
take it I suppose.
 
When I went to see her shortly after my vet called with the sad news and
to say my goodbyes, I saw the spleen and the mass that was removed.  The
spleen was huge and peppered with bulbous nodules.  One as big around as
a nickel and about a dozen other smaller ones.  The mass was her adrenal
as we suspected, and it was just this big, necrotic mass of tissue.  But
she got it all out and all other organs looked normal.
 
It's a very sad day here.  This is the first time in almost 20 years that
a ferret hasn't blessed our home.  And I'm sad to say that at least for
now, I cannot take the heartache that comes with losing one of these guys
and I don't forsee having any more ferrets in the near future at least.
Maybe one day when I'm retired.  I have to keep in mind that I've said
this before and there always seems to be just one more than needs a
loving home.
 
I plan to remain just as active with what I currently do for ferrets.
Running the two ferret related websites I have, moderating the Ferret
Health List, operating the Florida Rescue List, etc.  I don't know if
others will want to listen to someone offering advice about ferrets
when he doesn't even have a ferret, but I plan to try to help where I
can, regardless.
 
In our bedroom is an urn holding Beasley and Spaz's remains, Penny's
former buddies.  On it is a plaque that says "Beasley and Spaz, Together
forever" along with the date of their birth and death.  Penny will be
joining her "brothers" when I bring her remains home and the plaque will
be updated with her name and the dates.  One day, when it's my turn, it
is my wish that their remains join mine.  Those three brought so much
joy into my life, as did all the others that went before.
 
In memory of Penny, that little stinker who never missed an opportunity
to bite me if she felt like it and for no particular reason other than
the fun of it, even on her last day on earth.  December 15, 1997 -
February 18, 2005.
 
With much sadness and heartache,
Mike
[Posted in FML issue 4795]