What do white water racing, playing in an ensemble and fixin' ferrets
have in common? They are all a part of the life of recent New England
transplant Dr. Sandra Kudrak Mitchell. With "18 ferrets, 11 cats, a
lovebird, and a dog. Oh, yeah, and my husband, Bob!" Dr. Mitchell moved
from a practice in New York to southern Maine, where she is owner of
Animal Medical Associates (http://www.animalmedicalassociates.com).
Maine is the perfect spot for someone who likes to "canoe, camp, run,
bike, play with my 4 legged kids, hike, spend time outdoors."
As happens with many new ferret owners, Dr. Mitchell's first ferret was
an impulse buy. "It was love at first sight, and then took on a life of
it's own!" she said. "Zachary picked me. I was at a local pet store to
examine some cats which were up for adoption through a shelter. As I
leaned over the cat enclosure, this little masked bandit reached out of
the cage and snagged my shirt. I tickled his nose and went back to the
cats. He grabbed my shirt again. And again. Zachary and I wound up
walking around the store picking out toys (together) and drove home in
the middle of a snowstorm. At almost 9 years of age, Zachary is still
with me." What a wonderful testimony to the love and care that Dr.
Mitchell provides her ferret family.
Known for taking in "long shot" ferrets or those with multiple
problems, Dr. Mitchell works with shelter ferrets who need extra
attention, too. With years of memories, it is often difficult to pick
just one. However, as those who have had numerous ferrets in their
lives know, there are some that weasel their way into our hearts. And,
for Dr. Mitchell, that ferret was Milo. "Milo ... spent all of her time
with me battling a variety of illnesses. She was a ferret that was
always cheerful, always sweet and affectionate, even when she was sick.
She never gave up, she took on every battle her little life gave her
but always with a smile. The day she left me for the Bridge, a very
bright light in my life left me. But, she taught me the essence of
climbing every hill gracefully; losing her was a mountain which I am
still trying to climb."
When not tending to the needs of her massive furry family -- and
husband Bob! -- Dr. Mitchell can be found trying to keep off the
rocks! As a whitewater canoe racer, she soloed in the Whitewater Open
Canoe National Championships in PA earlier this year. "It was a very
difficult course, and I wasn't sure I had the skills to tackle it. With
the encouragement of my racing partner, Terry, I got in the boat, still
not sure I would emerge uninjured at the other end........and wound up
placing 2nd." If she does manage to slow down a bit, she may be reading
a book by Michael Creighton or John Grisham, but "I usually read text
books and journals," including "sports related books and magazines
(training books, Runners' World)." Given a bit more time to spend with
someone, Dr. Mitchell would choose "My dad. There were a lot of unsaid
things for us to talk about when he died."
Dr. Mitchell, who has known many animals in her life, would like to be
remembered "as someone that made a difference in the lives of as many
individual animals as I spent time with." And, one of those who made a
difference in her life is also her heroine. "There are a lot of people
and animals I look up to!" said Dr. Mitchell. But "I would have to say
Milo was one of my heroines. She lived her life with such dignity,
grace, and style (even though she was largely bald from adrenal disease
for the first 6 months I had her!"
Dr. Mitchell is a heroine to many, as well. She will share with us
information on cardiology in ferrets at the Pittsburgh symposium.
Please join us to learn more about affairs of the heart in your ferret!
To use Dr. Mitchell's services, call or come by:
Animal Medical Associates
838 Portland Road
Saco, Maine 04072
207-282-5151
Join us in Pittsburgh
November 7-9, 2008
International Ferret Congress (http://www.ferretcongress.org)
Ferret Emergency Response, Rescue and Evacuation Team (F.E.R.R.E.T.)
(http://www.ferretemergency.org)
[Posted in FML 6116]
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