OK SO I DID TAKE THIS ONE PERSONALLY
 
>From:    Sukie Crandall <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: ferrets are tough; give them a chance; READ THIS to save
>         YOUR ferret
>I hate writing posts like this one because I know someone is going to find
>them painful, and sometimes the person is a friend; still, I HAVE to write
>this because there have been some posts recently which give the false
>impression that some treatable illnesses are not treatable.
 
OBVIOUSLY YOU WERE NOT THERE HOLDING MY POOR DAISY IN YOUR HANDS.
 
THIS IS THE LAST THING THAT I NEEDED TO READ WHILE I WAS MOURNING THE
LOSS OF MY LITTLE DAISY.
 
>In the first place there appear to be owners and some vets used by some
>owners who are confusing adrenal tumors with insulinomae again.  AN OWNER'S
>BEST FRIEND IS OFTEN THE MEDICAL FAQS!  Pam Greene can make these available
>to you.  (The two tumors can exist together, of course, but there has been
>confusion again.)
 
I HAVE PRINTED THAT FAQ IN THE PAST - AND USE IT RELIGIOUSLY.  i FEEL THAT
MY VET IS VERY KNOWLEGEABLE WHERE FERRETS ARE CONCERNED (SHE OWNS FERRETS
HERSELF)!  THE DOCTOR WAS UNABLE TO DETECT THE ADRENAL TUMORS BECAUSE THEY
WERE TOO SMALL.  THIS WAS REALIZED AFTER AN AUTOPSY WAS DONE.  IT WAS ALSO
DETERMINED THAT WE DID THE RIGHT THING BY PUTTING HER TO SLEEP, BECAUSE THE
AUTOPSY ALSO REVEALED THAT SHE WAS BEYOND MEDICAL HELP.
 
>In the second place even elderly ferrets can often get through surgeries as
>long as the vet is experienced and the things which make the risk more
>complicated can be dealt with, and a bit of luck is on your side.
 
WE NEEDED MORE THAN LUCK TO PULL DAISY THROUGH!
 
>We have had 6, 7, and 8 year olds who have been operated on and have come
>through it fine -- in fact we've never lost one to surgery yet in 14 or 15
>years of ownership, even one with advanced right adrenal based lymphoma in
>one case,or cardiomyopathy, liver cysts, adrenal tumor, deformities, and
>insulinomae ALL in another one (as well as some other problems).  Ferrets
>are tough but too many vets don't know that still.
 
I AM VERY HAPPY THAT YOUR FERRETS MADE IT THROUGH, BUT DAISY WASN'T EVEN A
POUND AND HADN'T EATEN PROPERLY IN QUITE A FEW WEEKS.
 
>In some extreme cases it is even possible to use phenobarbital elixir to
>control seizures to a reasonable extent.  One thing which is important to
>realize is that the ferret is not in pain from the seizures themselves
>though they are very traumatic for us no matter how often one sees them.
>TREAT!!!!!!
 
DAISY WAS ALSO LETTING OUT WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A PAINFUL SCREAM AND SHE HAD
NEVER MADE A SOUND IN HER LIFE!  AGAIN, THE DOCTOR FELT THAT HER BLOOD SUGAR
LEVEL HAD DROPPED TOO LOW, WHICH WAS CAUSING NUEROLOGICAL PROBLEMS.  I ONLY
WISH I WOULD HAVE "EASED HER PAIN" SOONER" RATHER THAN TRY TO EXTEND OUT HER
PAINFUL LIFE LIKE YOU SUGGEST WITH A SURGERY THAT I AND THE VET ARE SURE OF
THAT SHE WOULDN'T OF MADE IT THROUGH.
 
TO EACH THEIR OWN OPINION - MINE IS IF YOU FEEL THAT (AND YOUR VET FEELS
THAT) YOUR FUZZIE ISN'T GOING TO MAKE IT - THEN YOU NEED TO MAKE A DECISION
BASED ON YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACTS AND HOW YOU FEEL INSIDE - NOT BASED ON
WHAT SOMEONE ELSE, WHO DOESN'T EVEN KNOW YOUR SITUATION, THINKS.
 
PLEASE BE MORE CONSIDERATE IN WHAT YOU ACCUSE PEOPLE OF DOING,
ESPECIALLY IN A TIME A GRIEF!
 
Thanks,
Jessika (and Scott)
Piper & Smokey (and Daisy's Memories)
 
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| Jessika Tischleder                                      |
| E-mail: [log in to unmask]                            |
| WWW:    http://www.stcloud.msus.edu/~tischj02           |
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[Posted in FML issue 1986]