I'm not sure if this exists anywhere but I think once a year we should
vote on a Ferret that has shown true courage and has overcome all odds
to be here with us today and with that being said. I nominate Rabbit.
Here is his story:

RABBIT'S STORY

We have a very special little friend here at the sanctuary we call
Rabbit. When I first met him at Texas Ferret Lover's Rescue, Rabbit had
just arrived from Dallas Animal Control. He was dirty, underweight, had
moderate hair loss and what looked like dreadlocks in his coat around
his neck and head. There was no telling how long this little one had
survived on the streets! He had ear mites, a freshly amputated tail to
remove a large tumor, a severe prolapsed rectum with scant and sticky
stools. And he was very scared and sad. Still, the first time I picked
him up...he gave me kisses and snuggled into me. I knew this little
boy was very special and a survivor...and I wanted to help him.

Millie cautioned me that sometimes, when a ferret's tail is amputated
for an adenoma, the tumor can show back up in the spine or major
organs. She told me that if there were a problem, we would probably
see it within two weeks (based on Millie's past experience).

I loaded Rabbit up in the Ferretmobile and brought him back to Houston.
I fixed a nice cage just for him with soft bedding and plenty of toys.
He just loved that and, to this day, he knows that is his cage and no
one else's! We got him on Duck Soup and good ferret kibble and soon
Rabbit was putting on a little weight and regaining some precious
energy. His favorite toy was a red, green and white crocheted egg sent
to him from his Giving Tree Santa, which he would spin like an expert
(not his Santa, the egg, haha)! Our two-week window came and went
without incident.

Then, suddenly, Rabbit began to display symptoms such as inability to
eat (disinterest in eating), scant stools and throwing up phlegm. At
first we thought it was extreme stress because the rescue vet nor our
sanctuary vet could feel any problems when examining him and his
bloodwork looked OK. Rabbit seemed to improve with some tummy
medicines, but would then return to the same issues.

After medicines and basically "waiting to see what happens", I
insisted on a xray with barium. Sure enough, there was the big mass of
"something" resting at the bottom of his tummy, allowing only a trickle
of food to get through. A subsequent ultrasound confirmed not only the
foreign body, but some unusual masses along his intestinal wall and in
spleen. The report was so bleak for Rabbit, one vet felt we had no
option but to help him to the Rainbow Bridge.

When I told my friend (and Rabbit's Santa) about the report she stepped
in and took charge. She would not accept this prognosis, she told me,
and neither should I! She asked me to give Rabbit a chance and allow
her to instruct me on how to move the blockage. She began to confer
with other ferret owners and vets. Soon Rabbit became a celebrity and
many people were rooting for him! And they were willing to do anything
to get Rabbit the help he needed, even if it meant putting him on a
plane and flying him up to them.

So with renewed hope and my text message box overflowing, I began to
follow our new friends' instructions. Every four hours syringe feed x
amount of soup and x amount of pumpkin. Give subcutaneous fluids three
times a day. Give this med, stop that med.

It began to work! Rabbit didn't pass the object, but nice healthy
poos started to happen, and he began to improve. As his tummy started
feeling better, we began the search for the vet that could go in and
perform surgery on Rabbit to extract that foreign body that we believed
was the prime culprit.

Rabbit's surgery was performed Thursday, January 5, by Dr. Dori Hertel
and the wonderful staff at Loop 494 Animal Hospital in Kingwood, TX.
A really, really big hairball (we named it "Earl") was removed, along
with his spleen (had two benign growths) and four insulinomas. He came
out of it very tired and skinny, but did well. You should have seen him
when I brought him home! He was so glad to see his cage, bed and all of
his toys, I thought he was going to jump out of my arms! He knew he was
back home and he was so happy!

The first thing he did when he got settled in his cage, was to go up
to his bowl of kibble and start munching! That crunch was music to my
ears!

In the midst of all this chaos, some amazing people put together a
raffle and benefit to help with Rabbit's vet expenses. The response
was overwhelming with donations, cards, emails and messages of support
from all over the US and Canada! Rabbit became Everybody's Ferret. We
will always believe that it was the outpouring of love and prayers
that added to the strength this little boy already demonstrated and,
ultimately, led to his recovery. There are no words to express our
gratitude, but I think Rabbit's little face expresses it all!

Today, Rabbit is thriving! He is working on gaining some weight and
regrowing his coat from the Big Shave he had to have for his surgery.
He is curious and silly and he still loves that red, white and green
crocheted egg. Rabbit is an inspiration to me. This little ferret has
demonstrated such a resilience and strength that is bigger than life.
He is my hero!

FRISKYBIZNUS FERRET SANCTUARY
A Happy Haven for Old Ferrets.

[Posted in FML 7654]