>So, I am asking if anyone has any idea about when it is time to let a
>ferret go?  I know I have been medicating him for years, artificially
>extending his life, but is there a time when they get tired, so to
>speak, of the effort?  He just doesn't do anything anymore, he doesn't
>play, he doesn't eat, drink (though that's probably because he's getting
>enough water in his wet food), only this last weekend did he finally get
>himself into the litter box, at least half the time.  He doesn't seem
>very happy about my syringe-feeding him, either.
 
Of course no one can tell you what to do.  I've been there so I know how
hard it is to let an animal go or make the decision to put them to sleep.
But it sounds like from all you've said that the ferret basically has no
quality of life left and has really only been alive for several years
because of you "artificially extending his life".  There comes a time
when we all have to put the animal's best interests above our own comfort
level.  I don't mean that in a nasty way, but I just mean that it may
comfort US to keep them around as long as possible, but it may not be
what's best for the animal.  It's a little different with people because
we can speak up and say "I've had enough and want to give up now; let me
go" or "I'm in pain; please help me."  Animals can't communicate in the
same way and so it's up to us to make the hard decisions.  If an animal
was left to it's own defenses under the same circumstances it would
probably would have died already, but when we have an animal in our care
we have the ability to make that transition as fast and painless as
possible for them.  I have gone thru losing animals and I know it's hard,
but it sounds like it's past time for your ferret to go.
[Posted in FML issue 4113]