It is with immense grief that I write to tell you that on Friday morning
around 10.30, I helped my sweet little boy Sandy to cross the Rainbow
Bridge.  Sandy was 6 years old and was my largest ferret, weighing in at
41/2 pounds.  Sandy has been battling numerous health problems for several
months now.  He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and was doing well on
medications.  A few months later he developed insulinoma and we put him on
prednisone and a about a month ago put him on proglycem.  He was a very
poor risk for surgery because of the cardiomyopathy.  Just recently he
started showing signs of adrenal disease and he had cataracts in both eyes.
His spleen and all of his lymph nodes were huge.  Sandy was my kissy boy.
He always had a kiss for me and was always willing to cuddle with Mom.  I
think he tolerated the cuddling because he knew some how that Mom needed
it more than he did.
 
When I woke up on Fri. morning, Sandy was struggling to breathe.  He was
in such a panic trying to get his breath.  I called in to work and told my
boss I would be late and then I called Cathy, my vet.  They told me to
bring him right down and I went prepared to help him cross.  I knew in my
heart that his time had come and when I got down to Cathy's, she agreed.
Cathy said his lungs sounded really bad and his lymph nodes were so big,
she felt they were putting pressure on his heart and making it even more
difficult to breathe.He passed peacefully in my arms, while I told him
about Moxy, Baby Daisy, Bear, Toby, and Murphy.  I gave him a message to
pass on to them and told him he would breathe easier very soon.  I took a
polar fleece blanket that I made for him and wrapped his body in it.  I
left him with Cathy to have him cremated.  I will miss him terribly.  It
will be especially hard on Mitzy.  She has no cage mates left.  I hope she
handles it OK.  I will probably retry to introduce her to Smokey and Bandit
and see if I can't get the three of them into one cage, so Mitzy won't be
lonely.
 
I am lost, for my whole schedule was planned around his feeding and
medication needs.  I still think that I need to get home to feed Sandy.
His schedule came to be so much a part of my life for so many months.
 
Please give all your babies an extra hug and a kiss in Sandy's honour.  I
miss you Sandy Boy and I love you with all of my heart!
 
Sally St. Germain and her 9 "Little Saints"
Hi.....my name is Sally.....I am a ferret-a-holic!!!!!
[Posted in FML issue 3494]