Hello all,
We're looking for some help for a ferret. Make that a home for a very
special ferret.
Last month a woman contacted me about her sick 3 yr old, Charlie. He
was having problems trying to stand and walk. Like so many in our area,
she'd lost her job and had moved back in with her mother bringing her
adult daughter and Charlie with her and couldn't afford to take him to
a doctor.
I made an immediate appointment with our doctor for Charlie to be seen.
He had 4, yes 4, head over the back major seizures in the first hour we
were there. We got those stopped and checked his vitals, including his
blood sugar and all was normal. Charlie was sent home on anti-seizure
medication as well as meds for helio-bacter and stomach protectants.
An ADV test was sent off. Thankfully he is ADV neg.
It has taken the full four and a half weeks to piece together Charlie's
entire story as bits and pieces slipped in conversations with his
owners. They have not been real forth coming on Charlie's condition
and less than honest.
It seems when Charlie was about 6 months old he got his head stuck
between a box springs and a mattress for an indeterminate amount of
time. His seizures started soon after that. August of 2012 his owner
was walking him at a dog park and he was attacked by a dog. Owner and
dog played tug a war with Charlie until the dog let go. Charlie spent
2 weeks in ICU at the vets with no diagnosis, just major care to keep
him alive. Paralysis began to set in shortly after that.
At this time Charlie is unable to stand or walk, and is on a heavy dose
of anti-seizure meds. Because he can't stand, he requires around the
clock care and frequent baths. He is what human doctors classify as an
'incomplete quad' - limited abilities in all 4 limbs. While his human
family have, albeit late, finally stepped up and are taking good care
of him, he can not (and should not, IMO) stay with them much longer.
Besides the money situation he is living in a home with 3 different
generations of women who just barely get along and tempers are flaring.
Not a good environment for anyone and it seems Charlie is often used as
the catalyst to many a long and loud argument. He really needs out of
there.
Okay, so I know what many of you are thinking . . . the same thing I
did when I met my first, second and third paraferrets: 'put him down!'
But then I got to know them and you know what? They are happy People.
Glad to be in the world, playing as they can, reveling in Ferret Soup
and passing out kisses. I had to get to know several of them before I
understood. Charlie is like that - happy. I'd take him in a flash,
except. . .
As many of you know we have a deadly and contagious mutated virus here
with a 50% kill rate in the first six months of exposure which has
our doors closed. To bring Charlie here would sentence him to a most
unpleasant death. I don't believe he has the physical reserves to
withstand the kind of onslaught this killer brings. Also, as I noted,
Charlie pretty well needs around the clock care. Not every second or
minute, but more than one person can handle alone for long.
I know what I am asking. For nearly 19 years some of the most dear
Charlies have blessed my house and home. I have no delusions about what
it will take to properly care for him. But he is such a sweet, happy
boy I have to ask. The alternative is to end that dear child and he
does not deserve it. He deserves to live with a family who will care
for him, have a care for him, love him and be loved in return.
If you have questions, suggestions, want to know more, have an idea
where he might live out the rest of how ever much time he has,
anything, please feel free to contact me off list. It will do someone's
heart and soul good to take this boy. There is no thanks like the
thanks from those that are helpless - I promise.
Oh so sincerely,
Brenda, Momma to the FurpeopleWeyr
FurpeopleWeyr.com
[Posted in FML 7726]
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