The Open House and Moving Sale CFN had in June was very successful.  We
found new homes for lots of our personal items that we cannot take with
us when we move to a smaller home and also made a few thousand dollars
for the shelter.  Six ferrets went to new homes and CFN has a couple of
new foster homes as a result of the event.
 
We have had two very sad things happen to shelter ferrets lately.  One
involved an old timer, Forest Gump, who came to us recently with adrenal
symptoms, but did not respond to Lupron or melatonin and was having major
problems with an enlarged and infected prostate and bladder.  He was not
getting better on antibiotics so we decided to go ahead with a bilateral
adrenal surgery.  Both glands were very large and he was under for 2
hours.  He did well during the procedure but became septic and died 24
hours later, despite constant monitoring and care by Dr. Burgess at
Southwest Animal Hospital.
 
The other case involved another old timer, Lindsey.  She came to CFN in
terrible shape and was reported to be living in horrid conditions in an
outdoor cage without food or water.  She was bald and emaciated.  She
thrived under the care of her foster parent, grew in a beautiful coat and
put on a good amount of weight.  She arrived with some breathing issues
which seemed to come and go.  We were trying to diagnosis the problem
using different medications, doing x-rays, etc.  The vet thought it might
be some kind of asthma and we were trying different treatments, but she
kept getting worse.  She went downhill fast and we did a full necropsy
after she was euthanized, sending tissues to a pathologist.  She turned
out to have a fungal infection of her respiratory tract, crytococcosis,
a very rare situation barely mentioned in medical books about ferrets,
most often diagnosed after the animal has died.
 
On to a less compelling topic: ebay listings to help CFN
 
There are a couple of totally non-ferret items, things I've found since
the moving sale, that I thought we might be able to sell to make a few
bucks for CFN.
 
This one at least involves animals. It is a set of old prints used to
advertise an ink company by using a litter of different colored kittens:
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7170468977
 
Anyone collect dolls as well as ferrets?  This is a pretty collectible
"Toni" doll made by Ideal Toy Company:
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5598996948
 
On to ferret items!  These cards featuring ferret art were listed
recently, but no one bid on any of them.  They were very popular at
our Ferret Appreciation Day last year and I thought with all the
ferret enthusiasts here, they would sell well.  I've lowered the price
substantially, so please save CFN being charged a $1 for listing these
cards and not having them sell.  These only have a couple more days
before they end.
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7170124914
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7170125177
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7170125318
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7170125460
 
The next three items were just listed:
 
A set of bedding from Caddis Pet Products.  These are my favorite
commercially made bedding products because of how well they are
constructed and the type of attachments they use, all plastic, they
are VERY easy to put up and take down.  This set includes a hanging
circle den, a hanging fabric tube, a corner sleeper, a small and a
large hammock.
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7702149911
 
The last two items are two different types of front pack carriers for
ferrets or other small animals.
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7702172913
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7702139224
 
Thanks!
 
Elayne Barclay
Cascade Ferret Network
Network Coordinator
www.cascadeferret.org
[Posted in FML issue 4944]