This weekend shelter dad and Mom ran into town for errands-- things to get
the education prgram off the ground and a trip to the office supply store.
On the way by the pet store ( I don'rt usually go there) Mom got this urge
to stop in and sy Hi ( snicker) well we walked in adn were greeted at the
door by the local pet store owner.  I asked how every thing was and got the
standard GREAT!  I asked if they had any new little ones in and he said
yeah-- 4-5 or so--- as I turned to head towards the back he said uh, what
do you think I should do...........
 
We send wishes of sympathy to Kevin and all the others who during this
season suffer the losses of their beloved pets.
 
We know the sadness as just this week one of our NJ rescues was given a
grim diagnosis-- seems Pasteur will never have another home-- but we love
him dearly and will make him comfortable for the time he is granted with us
on this earth!  He will get an extra dab of nutrical whenever he wants it!
And on to A Ruby Christmas--
 
Okay here is the poop--- a shipment 1 1/2 weeks ago arrived -- they sold
one immediately to a college guy--- well of course the guy got caught in
the dorm-- it came back to the pet store and now -- the guy had the flu --
when he returned the ferret ( they took it back) it has been in the store
sneezing for days-- I suggested a trip to the vets before I even peeked at
it to get RX for respiratory if required.... well, that doesn't always
happen at the pets stores-- so he offered would I look at him.
 
Dad and I walked back top the holding room-- curled up in an isolation wire
cage filled with shredded aspen was a TINY blaze ferret curled up
struggling to breathe... I picked it up and went out into the hall ( birds
in the back room were very noisy)-- In the quiet hallway I could hear a
faint rattle in the chest-- I handed the ferret back to shelter dad and
the attending store employee and headed to speak with the store owner....
 
The gist of it was that I told him I was PRETTY sure there was a need for
medication and some hydration here-- of course they had no available vet--
and it was the weekend-- and I had to bite my lip-- by Monday the little
one would be too far gone... so I did the un-forgivable-- I offered to pay
stock replacement only on the ferret to get it out and on it's way to
health.
 
Heck, it is Christmas---- it worked-- he was happy to be able to have the
$$ to buy another--- and off we ventured with the little one wrapped tight
in a snug sack to keep it warm for the drive....
 
Once back at the shelter we decided until we knew the ferret was going to
recover it would spend it's time in the dining room-- away from everyone--
so a TEENY cage is set up with a top open sleeper the ferret gets lost in--
and a food cup and a water dish-- for get the bottle-- The he is a she -- a
tiny ruby eyed female , with milk teeth still apparent, but new ones
erupting -- and she is a blaze / mitt after her third dose of antibiotics
she is drinking water and eating food on her own-- though I am
supplementing her with a mush ( more dry than wet as there is a tiny bit of
prolapse on the rectum) and she actually started to play about 2 AM.  Then
went back to sleep.
 
So the vigil will continue with on very tiny addition at Ferret Wise and we
hope look forward to being able to announce in March that Ruby Christmas
will be ready for a new loving home....
 
So from the tiniest-- the the eldest at Ferret Wise---
 
Happy Holidays, thanks for sharing with us here-- and PLEASE remember to
support your local ferret shelters-- it is a big job and everyone does make
such a difference in getting the enormous job of sheltering ferrets done!
 
From shelter Mom Alicia
and the many faces at Ferret Wise
wishes for the happiest of holidays
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi./index.html
[Posted in FML issue 2904]