About 8 years ago, I would go visit "Gimmee Shelter" ferret rescue in
MA. I happened to be visiting and wanted to see the new ferrets that
came in which were isolated in another room. I looked at the cages and
at the very bottom was a silver with a partial black nose and big
teardrop shaped eyes. My heart dropped! I had to see him, he was
waiting to go in for adrenal surgery. He was balding at the top of his
head, it almost looked like you could see his brains by the look of
the wrinkly skin. I spent time with him on the floor and the shelter
operator had a bag on the floor. I got down on the floor to play with
him and wouldn't you know, he kept grabbing my thumb and trying to pull
me into the bag with him! He kept doing this and every time I went to
visit, he would do the same thing. Mylo was his name and he ended up
having the adrenal surgery and I adopted him later. After getting him
home, I received a call stating that his biopsies came back positive
for cancer. I almost dropped to the floor. This little guy hated other
ferrets but loved people. I took him everywhere with me including
shopping, doctor visits,hospital visits, visits to the bank, just about
everywhere, he was my companion. He came from a situation where he was
banished to the cellar "because he stunk". A young boy owned him and
his parents would not allow Mylo upstairs. Finally he was given up.
Mylo slept on my chest every night and I would rub his tummy. One night
I felt a lump and I felt sickened. I brought him to what was supposed
to be one of the best vets in NH. We drove over 3 hours to get there.
The vet saw him and said he was fine, no cancer, don't worry. I asked
what about doing some tests, bloodwork, etc and he said no, not needed
he is fine. Mind you we took a 3 hour ride and he spent about 2 minutes
on him! I noticed a few weeks later that he had laboured breathing and
I brought him to another local vet. She took xrays and did not see a
lot. She ended up doing a biopsy on him that day and when she opened
him up, he was loaded with cancer, attached to every organ. She closed
him up and noticed he was having a tough time. She tried balancing his
meds between pain meds and lasix and called me to tell me I had best
come see him. I went there and I could not believe what pain he was in.
Come to find out, they did not have anyone there after 5 p.m! I called
vets everywhere for help and could not get anyone after hours. I did
find one vet at home who had an incubator and everything needed and we
rushed him to her, an hour away. I stroked him and held him in my arms,
kissing him and telling him how much I loved him. We were 5 minutes
away from her house and Mylo took his last breath. My heart was broken,
I am tearing up just writing this. We got to the vets house and she
took his catheter out and examined him. I could not believe my Mylo was
gone. I only had him for 5 months, he was over 5 when I got him but let
me tell you, that 5 months were the happiest months of my life and his
life when it came to ferrets! I have compared many ferrets to Mylo and
will NEVER find another like him. He was so laid back and never
wiggled, he loved to be held and loved attention from everyone from the
very young to the elderly. Such a sweet, loving boy. I lost him May 10,
2002 and till this day I still mourn his loss. You see we chose each
other.

Eleanor, Donald and the ferrets

[Posted in FML 6671]