Get a grip!!!  I am sick and tired of the useless, bickering, name-calling
and flaming currently taking place.
 
I am the mature (over 50) slave of 4 fuzzies.  Panda, Teddy, Pretty Boy,
and Bootz.
 
I am by no means a wealthy person but I do the best for my guys in return
for all of the enjoyment and pleasure and love they give to me.  Several
years ago I was given a female ferret, Snidley Wiplash, about 6 months
after we got her she was diagnosed with insulonoma, (excuse the spelling),
we had a wonderful vet and when she opened little Snidley up found that she
had 2 tumors and one was so badly entwined around the pancreas it would
have been fatal to remove it.  She was put on pred and lived for another
2 years.  Expensive yes, Regret None.  Did my family and I have to go
without, Hell yes.  Was it a family decision to get her treated Absolutly.
 
Now Teddy is showing signs of Lymphoma.  My vet said he thought that
was what he had.  He referred me to the Kansas State University, exotic
animals dept.  After spending 400.00 on ultrasound, and blood tests they
tell me that the blood indicator is slightly raised but not enough to be
definitive, yet they want to put an access point into Teddy's arteries so
they can start injecting chemicals.  When asked what the percentages were,
it seems that they have only done one other ferret and he didn't do well
and ended up on radiation therapy.
 
This was about a year ago.  Well Teddy is still lively, a little fat, and
appears to be happy.  He doesn't appear to be uncomfortable and still has
all his hair.  I am currently attempting a homeopathic treatment using
Essiac.  The only reason that I even hesitate to seek further attention is
that I think he is happier without all of the "Experimentation" and being
filled with chemicals that no one is sure of.  If I could be guaranteed
that his treatment would not be worse than the disease he would be treated
immediately.
 
Can I afford the treatment, not without getting some financial assistance
outside, but if he were in pain, or there was a guarntee he would live
after treatment, would sell beg or borrow for him.
 
As far as mac and cheese, I could fix Fillet Mignon, baked potatoes, etc.
and set it beside a dish of mac and cheese and both of my teenagers would
go for the mac and cheese first.  Are they healthy, very.
 
As far as cheap ferrets go, there is no such thing.  I spend an easy $75.00
per month when averaged over a year.  Rabie shots, vet visits, Ferratone,
Ferretvite, toys, treats, and food.  As far as initial cost, I am appalled
at the treatment of little fuzzies in pet shops.  The majority of pet shop
owners and employees should be drawn, quartered, and the remains thrown
into a holding pen for pigs.  The cages are always in a mess and the
animals are ignored.  I was at one pet shop in the Pueblo Mall in Pueblo,
CO one day and noticed that one little fuzzie was caught between the door
and a barrier they had put up.  I notified the person on duty and they
refused to take any action and told me that he would just get in there
again.  There really should be a law against the selling of fuzzies in a
pet store.  When you consider a ferret will cost from $115.00 to $160.00
then take into consideration running maintenance of the little guy, there
is nothing wrong with wanting a "cheap" ferret.
 
Now will you busy bodies get over it and let's get back to getting some
useful information in this newsletter.
[Posted in FML issue 3193]