Friends, Romans, Ferret people,
 
I have been overwhelmed by the response I have gotten from all of you in the
pursuit of a cure for Sasha. Unfortunately, shortly after my last article to
the FML, Sasha went under the anesthetic and arrested before she came out of
it. The anesthetic was deemed necessary because she wouldn't stay still
enough for viable x-rays to be taken. Even a small movement causes blurs
since the exposure time for an x-ray is so long. The vet was very careful
and even administered the anesthetic via gas so he could `take it back' if
she showed signs of reaction. with an injection, you can't do that.
 
As it turned out, she was suffering from (as nearly as my vet could tell
form the autopsy [which he did at his own cost for future cases]) a
lymphatic cancer that caused her miocardia (sp?) to fill with pus and expand
to way beyond the normal size. Also, her chest cavity was full of fluid
which was supressing her breathing. While the fluid could have been drained,
the cause of the pus, and the strain on her heart, were not fixable. She
died peacfully in her sleep instead of gasping for breath or starving to
death, and for that I'm thankful. I will miss her.
 
In case you missed it, there is a nutritional supplement called Felo-Vite,
designed for cats, with Taurine in it. It really worked energy-wonders in
Sasha, *especially* in light of what was going on inside her. It is probably
preferable to Nutrical and Cana-vite because of the Taurine.
 
My thanks *especially* to Katie, Nancy, and Mr. Crandall who all took time
to offer suggestions (two of you by phone, which was very sweet) and moral
support. ... and to Chris who made the help available in the first place by
running the FML. My vet is young and less familiar with ferrets than
an `expert'  ferret vet would have been, but he more than made up for that
with his compassionate and nurturing care of Sasha. He is considering
Exotics as a speciality and wants me to forward him the FML issues I have in
my paper archive. I'll let you know how he progresses and if he might be
considered an expert in the future.
 
Thanks to Katie, I have a source for "Biology and Diseases of the Ferret",
which I'm purchasing and donating to the vet clinic in Sasha's memory.
Thanks to Chris, I have a community of loving ferret owners that understand
and share my grief. And so many folks think computers are these cold,
calculating, soulless things ... little do they know.
 
Thanks all. I will be getting Bear a new mate as soon as the breeder has a
new litter to choose from. I've lost 2 females now, the first to my own
ignorance of the heat-related problems. Let's all hope the third time's a
charm. Armed with your help, and the lessons so painfully learned, I suspect
it *will* be.
 
Y'all give your little ones an extra hug for Sasha tonight, 'kay ? Thanks.
 
(Have I said `Thank You yet ? :-))
 
-- Stephen Dennison
 
[Posted in FML issue 0399]