>But I am sick about this and will never forgive the other vet...  He
>should have listened to me - even if he thought I was over-reacting, he
>should have humored me and seen me right away.  I'd been going there 11 yrs
>and have sent him a lot of business...
 
I'm so sorry this happened.  I'm sure your little ferret doesn't blame you.
Animals know that sometimes stuff just happens.  We're responsible for these
little guys and when things happen we blame ourselves.  Try not to let it
eat you up ...  you did what you thought you should.
 
This problem with vets not believing you and not understanding how swiftly
things happen to ferrets is apparently a common problem.  I went to a
supposedly 'ferret knowledgable' vet and could not convince the office staff
OR him that my ferret was going fast (Skittles).  With cats and dogs you
really have more time.  Ferrets are so little, they just don't have a lot of
leeway.  I think our little Ariel died (of dehydration) because she was so
small.  I think if one of the larger guys had it, they would have been okay.
 
This problem is also seen with parents and their children.  I've had doctors
basically tell me that I was imagining things.  Once, it turned out the
child had asthma (we RUSHED to the doctor's to get him there while he was
still wheezing).  Another time the kid had strep throat and the doctor
didn't believe me.  I *knew* my child was sick.  I had to argue for a strep
test.  They only did it to shut me up.
 
Sometimes medical people get so inundated with the commonplace that I think
they forget who sees the patients 24 hours a day.  Maybe 9 times out of 10
the owner IS over reacting, but that 1 time they weren't is going to come
around and bite them.
 
My fuzzies send licks and snuggles.  I'm sure your baby is dancing in heaven
with my Keesa, Skittles, Ariel and all the other ferrets we've loved for a
little while.
 
--Barb--
[Posted in FML issue 1476]