First, thank you Dr. Williams for your quick response, unfortunately
there was nothing that could be done for Padington.
 
So the rest of you FMLers know what I am talking about, Padington Bear,
who belongs to a friend of ours, and is the father of all four of our
precious fuzzies is gone. Sunday he displayed weakness in his hind legs.
By Monday he could not use his hind legs at all, so our friend called
Margaret.  Margaret took Padington to the vet today. X-Rays showed that poor
Padington had advanced bone cancer. A large portion of his pelvis and two
or three of his vertebrae where his spine/tail meet his pelvis had been
destroyed by this cancer. His other symptoms may have been other tumors,
or from trauma caused by him moving with his weak legs, but the condition
of his pelvis rendered it all very academic.
 
The evening was made more poignant when we met Peggy of the Ottawa Ferret
Association, (who was there with Bear Bear for treatment), and another
young lady who also had to say goodbye to one of her fuzzies.
 
We are left wondering if there is any way to detect this earlier. X-Rays
would probably show it, but I am startled by the speed that Padington
was struck down. While we were chatting in the waiting room, Peggy wondered
aloud if that by adopting out rescued ferrets she was distributing grief.
Although we do feel grief at a time like this, the grief is in direct
relation to the joy we receive from ferret companionship. The pain may
be sharp, but time will heal. The joy we can remember always.
 
Margaret, Richard
Smokey, Pixie, Boots and Ping
Fondly remember Padington Bear.
[Posted in FML issue 1148]