Hello,
 
I woke up this morning to find that Noodle had passed away in his sleep
in the night.  Noodle was the ferret who, a month ago, had had an
adrenalectomy, splenectomy, lymph node, and hairball removal all in one
gigantic operation from which he had recovered nicely.  For the past week,
however, he'd been slowing down a bit; his stool had been small and he'd
been throwing up partially digested food.  I was giving him Petromalt,
but he also didn't seem to be eating much.  I'm not sure what part of me
decided not to take him to the vet - perhaps the part that recognized
he'd been through an awful lot recently, and particularly in the past two
years - but the results of his autopsy showed that he died of extremely
advanced liver cancer, about which nothing could have been done.
 
When I found him he was curled up as if asleep, and I had to reassure
myself several times that he was actually gone, as he looked simply asleep.
I am reassured that he passed quietly despite what were probably a painful
few last days, and I'm sad that he couldn't have had a longer, happier life
after gamely making it through the surgery.  The vet commented that he must
have been quite spunky to even have survived to the point that he did,
considering how advanced the cancer was.
 
Noodle was scrappier and more singled-minded that most and had an amazing
knack for appearing in locations that it was impossible for him to have
gotten to.  He was slowed down by cataracts later in his life, and his
favorite thing in the world was a weird little bear that had been given
to him by a previous roommate of mine.  The bear had to be moved regularly
and typically accompanyed him when he went to sleep (in classic ferret
style :).  The bear went with him to the vet for the last time.
 
Rest peacefully, little guy.
 
Melissa
 
- [log in to unmask] - This is a coin hold of great beak bird style. -
[Posted in FML issue 2825]