Hi, Im new to the FML.  I reciently lost both my little girls to what seemed
to be cancer.  My first little sock theif was givin to me by a navy buddy in
1991.  Her name was teya and she was such a joy to have.  She had been my
companion at times when I had no one.  After a year I decided to get her a
roommate to make up for the time I could not spend with her.  The new one
was Mozu.  I got this one from a news paper add, and she was the most gental
animal I had ever seen.  Both became fast friends and we lived together
until just last month when teya started showing signs of illness.  She had
the usual symptoms I have come to read about, weakness in the hind quarters,
wasting, lethergy.  I took her to the vet, but living in oklahoma there is
not a vet that specilizes in ferret care that I could find.  He diagnosed
cancer and said putting her to sleep would be the best.  I refused and
started reasearching the problem.  Well My quest for knowledge was to slow.
Teya was very ill and now Mozu was showing the same symptoms.  A week later
teya died in my arms.  I was devestated.  The worst part was the same
diagnosis was given to mozu by another vet.  I could not let her suffer the
way teya had in her last week, so I had her put to sleep with such great
reluctance I prayed that I could suffer her illness just so she could be
healthy again.  It was not until they were both gone That I found I am a
ferret fanatic.  I can only say with sadness that a sever lack of knowledge
on my part, and lack of sufficiant funds to persue treatment contributed to
their deaths and for this I am profoundly sorry.  I do however know that I
cannot live without these theives of hearts and I am anoying everyone with
my plans to get two more.  This time however I am becoming well educated in
their care.  I will set aside any and all available funds for their care.
My vet will feel abused by the continues barage of articals pertaining to
thier pathology and care.  I cannot feel any less pain at the loss of my
girls than I would if a family member had died, and I feel that somehow I
let them down.  Still I look foward to continuing to care for ferrets.  I am
so empty inside.  I come home to find all my socks, I sleep uninterupted
without the digging nibbling and licking late in the night.  I never have to
look for my car keys anymore, and the front row tickets to the "dance of the
ferret" yeild an empty stage.  How can anyone live this way?  Well I cannot
be stopped in my resolve to find that joy again.  I ask for any advise that
can be given.  Does anyone know of any vets in the okc area or resourses I
may persue?  I have heard enough controversy about MF to be shy of buying
thru them.  What is the best course of action in picking out a ferret?  What
questions should I ask?  The decision I have to make must be well planned
and flawless.  I ask for a bit of your time and advice, of which none is to
small.  That is all I have to say for now since this posting is gaining much
momentum.
 
For teya and mozu, My life was so enriched by your presence that I will
never forget that which you were.  I honor you everyday of my life and pray
for you to forgive my shortcommings.  You touched the very fiber of
 
my being to bring me such joy in life and such pain in death. For you I
will always remember.
 
(mark cavin) [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1735]