Hello and dooks to all!  This is a really long post (sorry), and I hope
it's not Dook E's last.
 
Tomorrow morning Dook E. Ferret will finally be going in for exploratory
surgery, to remove whatever it is on his right kidney, or the kidney
itself, or the adrenal gland, and I hope that's all it is.  I have to say
that I've been sick to death all day with worry.  What if, what if, I wish
I could shut off my brain!
 
I adopted Dook in May of '99, he was a little small, but a great fuzzy.
Everything was fine for about 3 days.  Then he stopped drinking and eating.
I took him to the vet, and got him on antibiotics, and began forcing water
and food on him.  One of my other ferrets, Boo, started getting really
jealous that I was holding this little guy all of the time.  I think that's
really strange, because Boo hates to be held.  What a weirdo.
 
Well, anyway, back to Dook.  I tried feeding him Ultimate 8-in-1, Totally
Ferret, Sheppard and Greene, Marshall's, and some kinda Ferret Gold, no
luck.  Then I tried cat food, Science Diet, Meow Mix and Tender Vittles.
No luck there either.  I kept forcing the AD and Ferretvite on him.  A
month passes, he still woln't eat, Another month, nothing, and one more.
Three months, and he started eating off of a spoon instead of the syringe.
 
One nite I came home late, and had bought a burger and fries and he
attacked the bag, and munched on the fries.  I posted about my Junk_Food
ferret, and you all sent me so many suggestions (thanks again)!  I tried
them all, to no avail.  My favorite suggestion, though, was the one about
marinating the kibble with french fries.  I was sure that would work, but
it didn't.  Anyway, he was eating a little bit, even if it was off of a
spoon.
 
We went to the Warm Fuzzy Show back in July (had a great time!).  A couple
of people mentioned how sick he looked.  I was really suprised because it
seemed to me that he was doing better.  After the show, we went back to the
vet.  That's when we found the kidney tumor.  Surgery needed to be done,
but the vet said that even with a transfusion from one of my other fat
fuzzies, that chances were slim.  Dook only weighed 1.5 pounds, tops, and
his blood stats were pretty bad.  A suggestion was made to put him down,
but I just don't have the heart to do that.  Alot of crying and soul
searching followed.
 
No!  I will not kill the fuzzy.  I started aggressively force feeding him,
every 2 hours, all the time.  Wake up buddy, it's time to eat!!  Have to
leave work early, must feed the baby!  Can't go on that date tonite, have
to squirt the Dookie!  the MyTeeKwinn came down and brought me all kinda of
herbals, Timmy's Tonic and recepies.  Even though Dookie hated it, after a
couple of days on Timmy's he perked up.  Feeding him became easier.  By the
way, Ensure makes a great Vanilla Pudding that I find is alot easier to mix
with other stuff, and it's way thicker than the liquid.  It's more
expensive, but I figure, if it sticks to my ceiling, it will stick to their
bones!
 
One night a few weeks ago, Dook had an episode.  He refused food, he was
throwing up stomach bile, and on my god, he was actually CRYING!  You can't
tell me they don't, because I was there!  No tears, but what whaling (it's
heart-wrenching!!)!.  He scratched all of his whiskers off.  Thanks to my
big fat Boo, I had some Flagyl on hand.  That and a dose of pepto, and he
calmed down after about 45 minutes.  This was in the middle of the night,
no vets around.
 
The next day, I took off of work (again) and took him to my friends Rick
and Denise.  He was hydrated with Ringers, and got him a dose of carafate.
A few hours later he started eating.  The next day he got another dose of
carafate.  When I came home, he had eaten a WHOLE BOWL of Totally Ferret!!
Almost 4 months, and this was his first bowl of chow!!!!  I did the happy
dance!!!!  dookadookadook!!!  He started eating regularly, just about on
the same schedule I was force feeding him on!
 
Every 2 weeks since July, we have gone to the vet for a blood test, and an
injection of Epogen(sp?).  His weight is up to 2.2 pounds, in such a short
time.  He's a happy ferret again, waking me up with all over the face
kissies.  Dooking all over the place, and he even wants to play.  His blood
work is looking much better, and he's ready for the operation (I can still
feel the tumor).  He's actually feeling good, and I'm so happy.
 
So why am I so worried?  No food after midnight, no water after 6AM.  What
if he forgets how to eat again??  What if the tumor has grown into the
VenaCava?  What if there are complications??  I need a valium.  What if
there are post-op complications?  What if I can't make Bob C's Chicken
Gravy right because I can't grind the bones?  What if he doesn't make it?
I know it's probably just me, and he'll be fine.
 
I'll be away from my e-mail for a couple of days until this is over.  I
want to sincerely thank everyone that helped me with Dook E., and he wants
to thank you, too!  I'm posting this story now, because if anything
happens, I woln't be able to do it later.  It's really hard to type with
tears streaming down.  The keyboard gets all wet.
 
Please say a prayer for my little Dookster.  Keep him in your thoughts, and
I'm sure he'll be alright.
 
Tracy & The Fuzzy Bunch
http://members.home.net/mugsy022/TC1/thome.htm
[Posted in FML issue 2819]