Hi All:

Today I met a ferret Mom with her beautiful 7 YO female sable named
Nutmeg. What a concerned and caring Mom and a wonderfully friendly,
well cared for Nutmeg. I even got kisses!! Nutmeg and her Mom came to
Rochester to see my vet for a second opinion about an adenocarcinoma in
the underside of her belly near the vulva. She had had a tumor removed
earlier which was quite costly. Sadly it started to grow back. The best
part of this story is that Nutmeg has lived a happy 7 years and seems
to be ignoring all of the human words about how serious the tumor is.
That ferret has things to do with her remaining time!! We knew from
the previous pathology report that the prognosis was not good.

I was so proud of Doc G as he explained very clearly and specifically
why he felt surgery could not help her. Wow, I learned so much and I
was simply there for moral support. He also took Mom gently down the
path we hate to go, knowing all we can do is take our babies home to
love them, keep them comfortable and help them understand we will be
there for the hard times but will be merciful and help them be pain
free and whole again when the time comes.

I thought Mom had asked very good questions, she held up well and I
think both Mom and Nutmeg, left town for home, feeling a little more
certain and comfortable with the road ahead.

I would ask if you have a moment over the next few weeks, hopefully
months, to keep Nutmeg and her Mom in your thoughts and prayers. I
would ask for Nutmeg the opportunity to kick up her heels and enjoy
her time till it is over and to pass peaceably in her sleep. As she
goes off to meet her buddy Mace who has already passed, maybe she will
whisper to the winds and Spirit about a loving Momma who needs a new
fuzzy to help mend her broken heart.

Thanks to all my great mentors on the FML and in real life who have
helped me be a good social services advocate for the ferrets and their
families here in Rochester, NY.

Respectfully,
Cathy Ryan

Feed rescued animals in two clicks
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3

[Posted in FML 7318]