We just lost our first ferret here at the U.F.O. shelter in Salt Lake
County.  She was a female that was given up by her former owners.  They
said they were moving and were not allowed to have pets.  I had spoken with
these people several months before and they had questions about having a
infant and a ferret.  So I am not sure if the move was just a convienant
excuse to dump their ferret.
 
The problem was, she was in season.  I could not get ahold of the people
because their phone was disconnected the day I picked her up to find out
how long she had been this way.  I put her in with a male who was also in
season, but after two weeks she was still extremely swollen.  I took her to
our vet to get check and if she was not pregnant, to have her spayed.  The
operation went well, but two weeks after the operation, we had to take her
back into the vet.  Other complications came up and she began loosing
weight, refusing to eat, her back legs could not move, and she had no
energy.  Even after force feeding and injecting her with vitamins, fluids,
and running tests, it seemed she her system was shutting down.  Without any
knowledge of her past our vet (a very good and dedicated ferret vet) thought
it best to put her to sleep.  She had begun to loose her fur and her skin
was darkening.
 
Needless to say this has struck home very hard.  She had a family waiting to
adopt her, but I could not release her to them in her condition.  They
called daily to find out her condition and last night I had to call them to
tell them she did not make it.  They had just lost their ferret to ferret
heaven and wanted another to fill the void and to receive all of their love
and attention.
 
I try to learn a lesson from all of my lifes experiences and with this one,
I must tell everyone out there.  IF YOU HAVE A FEMALE (JILL) and you know
you are not going to breed, then HAVE HER SPAYED IMMEDIATELY.  IF YOU CANNOT
AFFORD IT THEN WORK WITH YOUR VET A PAYMENT PLAN.  IF YOU VET REFUSES TO DO
SO< REPORT HIM TO THE FML AND WE CAN BEGIN TO WRITE HIM LETTERS OR
SOMETHING.  This is a tragic lesson that hopefully could of been avoided.
 
I tell myself that these former owners did not know that their female was in
season and were not just dumping her off on someone else to deal with her
slow death.  I will never know the truth.
 
I hope to spread the word to all ferret owners in Salt Lake County who own
Ferrets that this is important.  FIX YOUR FEMALES, THEIR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.
As for the conspiracy theory that Marshall Farms and the East Coast ferret
organizations are working towards some plot to take over the Ferret world,
I dont know, but I will say it again.  If your not into breeding, get your
female spayed.
 
Thank you,
Rick
United Ferret Organization
[Posted in FML issue 2380]