While I was at the vet, I met a woman who'd brought in a ferret she was
watching for someone.  It was dehydrated and lethargic.  I looked at its
teeth and saw horrible ulcers on the insides of the lips.  I'm not a vet, so
I thought it would just need rehydrated.  The poor thing ended up having to
be put down because it was in the final stages of dying of kidney disease
caused by *feeding cat food*.  :( I don't think the guy who owned the ferret
knew he was killing his ferret by feeding it cat food.  He didn't know it
was bad food.  I feel so badly for everyone concerned -- the poor woman who
had to authorize the ferret being put to sleep and having to tell the guy
his ferret was dead, the poor guy who got to come home from a vacation to
find his ferret dead and he couldn't even say goodbye, and I feel sorry for
the ferret, for having to go through it.  It must be very hard to be a vet,
seeing animals die for lack of good food.
 
Please, anyone who reads this, please feed your ferret GOOD FOOD, not kitten
food or dog food!  (I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I'm hoping
some new owner might see this.)
 
And hug your ferrets an extra time for me.
 
--Barb--
[Posted in FML issue 2368]