This was requested for the TN Adrenal Panel:
http://www.vet.utk.edu/diagnostic/endocrinology/

Troy Lynn, I hope someone can help you with those home repairs in
Kansas; you certainly have your own hands full with the ferret shelter
and your jobs to support yourself and the shelter.

THANK YOU, LISA! You posted the FIRST AND ONLY info which was timely
and reasonably on the scene from a ferret knowledgeable person.

Yes, you are right that more communication was needed from those who
knew earlier that there have been problems developing to those who
were local but had no idea. All here have very full lives and frankly
I don't know HOW shelter people manage to do all they do already,
just that I personally would NOT be able -- I know my limits. I am
constantly in awe of those who can provide daily care and medical care
for so very, very many ferrets in need., and I hope that folks here
also remember that if they can donate labor, funding, supplies, or
some combination to shelters that makes a huge difference. If you
never have before and would like to start go here:
http://www.supportourshelters.org/

One shelter person spoke to me privately of wonderful volunteers who
made all the difference in the world when she suddenly wound up in the
hospital with emergency surgeries. They had the keys, they knew the
details needed for care of each animal, and they had the organization
to make sure that all worked out right. Her situation could happen to
anyone, even those of us who are not shelters. Our primary vet has our
house keys and people here know whom to call in an emergency. (Joe
Martins, our primary vet, is also the one who will inherit our ferrets
and several thousand dollars each for their medical and daily needs
should anything happen to us both.) Good people, even the best, can
wind up in bad situations at times when life gets beyond control.

Lisa, your description of your past experiences with how VA animal
seizure law works, and on how the vets at the Virginia Beach SPCA know
ferrets well enough to inform you of existing medical conditions when
they have passed ferrets on to you in the past, of how they went beyond
their usual to care for the ferrets, how some of the ferrets even still
needed to continue sub-cutaneous fluids to survive, infection and
parasite treatment and other medical care to survive, of emaciation,
waste on the ferrets, and untreated medical conditions even among the
surviving ones says volumes to me, and is tragic. Everyone got hurt
this time despite previous good and wonderful actions.

I love that you balanced that with this:
>While some reading this may think I do not believe Carole is a good
>person that is a wrong assumption. It is good that Carole has so many
>supporters who are aware of the good she has done for ferrets in the
>past, and have brought this to everyone's attention. I am sure this
>support is a comfort to her at this time, when her situation has been
>made so very public. She *is* a good person and has done a lot for the
>ferret community but somewhere down the line, she lost her way and
>sight of what needed to be done to help the ferrets in her care.

I am so grateful that there has now been a post with some first hand
information from a highly knowledgeable source, and also that this has
been a learning opportunity and a chance to people to better organize
how future problems anywhere may possibly be reduced. It also is a
reminder for local shelters to coordinate with and educate the general
animal rescue people in their area. What is horrid is that something
so terribly, terribly sad is what led to it.

This is not the first time that someone's health combined with the
failure, fear, or inability to ask for help has caused such a
situation. I well recall the case of a breeder here in NJ who did not
seek help during his final illness and how something like 50 previously
untreated tumors had to be removed from the ferrets who survived.

Hopefully, the constructive actions which arise from this will reduce
the likelihood of later cases getting to this point. This time everyone
has been hurt, and badly. Maybe that can be prevented by fast action
before things get out of hand next time. I think everyone can agree
that would be best.

It is a time to share up to date facts but mostly TO CONSTRUCTIVELY
WORK TO PREVENT FUTURE PROBLEMS rather than a time to vent for
venting's sake or make assumptions after today if possible, PLEASE.
Assumptions cause confusion. Venting eases personal tensions but the
people here (including those who vent) are constructive and intelligent
people who can work with people like those at IFC FERRETS who are
working even now with a new committee to try to prevent future
tragedies like this one but need volunteers and members all over if
they are to be most successful. Please, see:
http://www.ferretemergency.org/

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5876]