Someone else recently aked about Maggie, my 9 year old ferret who crashed
in Mississauga at the IFC FerretAid 2006 Symposium.  It continues to
surprise me that people in the ferret community remember things like that
and care enough to ask.  On behalf of Maggie and myself, thank you, and
here is an update.
 
Maggie Mae is like the Energizer bunny - she just keeps on going!  It
is so hard to believe she is doing so well.  Maggie eats and sleeps and
really likes her water.  She gets up every morning and at least several
times during the day to eat and she always heads for the litter box.
 
It is not possible for her to get to the box every time and I find a
trail of poop.  BUT, she tries and usually succeeds.  One time I saw her
with her front feet in the litter box and the back half on the paper.
She pooped and then walked through the litter to climb over the side!  I
laughed and cleaned it up!
 
Some of the accomplishments of this weak, blind 9 year old.  I put her
in a cage without a top - she can't see so how would she know?  There
were no shelves either.  She CLIMBED up the sides of the two level (3
feet tall) cage and got out (jumped?)!  She jumps over the tunnels and
continues to sniff around everywhere.  She tries to jump out of my arms.
 
Mostly, Maggie likes to be held to eat - but not to be touched.  She
prefers to have you use a hand to steady her and use a blanket if you
hold her.  I used to get up and expect to find her body every morning.
I don't anymore.  I know that one day I will lose her, but I have quit
expecting it.
 
Most of the time Maggie will take her meds.  She is currently on a turn
your nose phase.  She goes in and out of this phase and may suddenly
start sucking them down again with no prodding.  She gets up and slurps
down wet groundup Evo ferret food and then goes to eat the ProPlan Barley
& Rice she has suddenly taken a liking to.  She drinks lots of water
voluntarily.
 
The past few days Maggie's hind end weakness has increaed.  I have tried
to up her pred, but she fight me.  And, she still is very independent.
Maggie will keep going until she suddently stops.  Until then I will
just keep her comfortable.
 
--
renee :)
It's amazing how much can be accomplished if nobody cares who gets the
credit!
Ferret Emergency Response, Rescue & Evacuation Team (F.E.R.R.E.T.)
http://www.ferretemergency.org
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org
[Posted in FML issue 5353]