I want Kevin to know how much your posts have touched me over the past few
days.  My heart aches for your loss and I know the pain all to well.  The
story of the encounter at Rainbow Bridge had me weeping like a baby,
nonstop for quite some time.  I guess it hit me especially hard.  I have
been so devastated that I have not been able to speak publiclly of what
has happened here.  I feel so ashamed, guilty, destroyed and heartbroken.
 
I guess it is pretty much common knowledge that the Marshall ferret food
has a shorter shelf life than others due to the cooking process and the way
the fat and such is.  I know it is a fact and am usually pretty careful
about it.  About 2 weeks ago, as I was recieving my new shipment of foods
for my mix, I considered dumping the remains of the last batch but sat and
calculated and determined that it should still be good for another week or
two, and there was only a few days worth left, so why waste it?
 
Less than two days later, terror began.  I went into the ferret room and
dicovered 3 of my special babies were dead, and more than half of the
remainder looking pretty sick.  Panic ensured, we went nuts trying to
figure out what was wrong, called a couple friends and my vet immediately.
Between all of us, the food became immediate suspect.  So, as I tried to
fight the urge to crawl into a corner and cry, we ran through the room,
clearing cages of food, throwing bowls in the dishwasher, grabbing the
emergency disposable trays, fillinf those with clean, fresh food.  At the
same time, we were putting gobs of FerretVite in every cage and refilling
every water bottle with half fresh water and half Pedialyte.
 
The next day, a vet did a necropsy and an analysis of the old food.  The
Marshalls HAD gone rancid, and cause of death was some combination of them
eating the rancid fat and refusing to eat at all.  I called a contact at
8 in 1, and told them what happened to see if I could get a bunch of
FerretVite at a discount or something, the lady was so sweet, kind and
understanding... she even sat and cried with me for my loss.  She had them
overnight Fed Ex a whole case of FerretVite at no charge.
 
I waited for several days to say anything, as I still didn't know who we
might lose, but thankfully... everyone else came out of it and all are
doing much better now and getting back to their normal fuzzy selves.
 
My special darlings that were lost is Aphrodite, Eris and Callidora.  I
can't begin to tell you how special they were to us, both my husband and I
have cried rivers.
 
I have been afraid to tell you guys, it has been so difficult.  Losing 3 at
once is almost more than I can bear, and I still can't shake the guilt.  I
should have tossed the food anyways, I shouldn't have risked it.  I
didn'tthink their WAS a risk, I should have known.  If I had been watching
closer, I might have noticed they were not acting right and maybe have
saved the 3?  The truth is, I know the facts, and I KNOW what I would be
telling someone else if this had happened to them.... but none of that
helps right now.  It doesn't matter, all I can feel is the pain and the
wondering if I could have prevented it.
 
Thanks for letting me ramble.
Susan
[Posted in FML issue 2906]