Hello,
 
I don't really post, but I have asked a couple of questions about my
ferrets & have found everyone extremely helpful.  So I am posting again.
 
At 4.30A this morning, my baby girl Mary Jane died.  She was due for
exploratory surgery at 8A, but she never made it.  After staying up all
night trying the help Mary Jane eat, we took her to the emergency room
at 2A.  They were going to stabilize her & we were going to take her for
surgery at 6.  Around 4A the emergency doctor called & said she wasn't
going to make it & I should come back right away because he didn't know
how much longer she could hang on.  I arrived in time to hold her as the
doctor gave her the injection.  However she was in a coma & didn't know
I was there.
 
I do have three other ferrets.  While I only had my Mary Jane for 1 year &
3 months, they were cagemates for 4 years.  They are my first ferrets &
I couldn't ask for more perfect ones.  I know they are confused & upset &
I am having a lot of trouble trying to comfort them.  I can't step into
the room without crying (or do anything in fact) & my other babies are
suffering too.  I know that I will feel better in time, but does anyone
have any advice on how I can help them best?  Buddy & Princess just
sleep.  Blaise runs all over the room trying to find her & then sleeps.
They haven't eaten anything since this morning, although I was able to
give them 3 bandit treats this evening.
 
They know something is wrong because last night I held Mary Jane all
night & tried feeding her watered down food that the vet gave me.  She
was unable to stand on her own & didn't respond to the other ferrets when
they came over to her.  This evening I reached for Princess & she whirled
around & attacked me.  She bit me hard in several places (but not hard
enough to break the skin).  Buddy just lays there & doesn't respond to
anything.  As I said, Blaise (who is deaf), just continues to look for
Mary Jane.
 
I believe I am scaring them when I break down all the time, but I am not
sure how to comfort them since they aren't responding to anything.  I am
terrified of losing them too, but I can't get them to eat.  I keep trying
to calm myself before I visit with them (their room is my bedroom), but
when I come in they are sleeping in Mary Jane's favourite spots & I just
lose it.  If anyone has any advice, please email me.  My email is
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Mary Jane was a beautiful, sweet, wonderful ferret.  She would sleep in
my arms & jump up & down to be picked up when ever I came near her.  She
would always stand up on her hind legs to look around & also to beg for
treats or hugs.  She loved to play & would get so excited when she danced
that she would do back flips.  She was the only one that would let me
hold her & she has been so strong throughout our time together (she has
been ill but always bounced back from illness & surgeries).  She made my
days infinitely brighter & she will be missed always.
 
Thank you,
Anna
[Posted in FML issue 4771]